L : : ;ARY OF CONGRESS, 

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Chap. Copyright >*o. 

Shelf../434 



UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 




Bethlehem. 



COCHEM'S 



LIFE OF CHRIST. 



ADAPTED BY 



Rev. BONAVENTURE HAMMER, O.S.F. 



WITH ILLUSTRATIONS. 




NEW YORK, CINCINNATI, CHICAGO '. 

BENZIGER BROTHERS, 

Printers to the Holy Apostolic See. 
1897 



Htbtl ©bstat. 

Thos. L. Kixkead, 

Censor Librornm. 

imprimatur. 

* Michael Augustine, 

.4 rchbishop o f A T t w York. 

New York, November iS, 1896. 



3mprtmt permtttttur. 

Fr. Petrus Bapt. Englert, O.S.F., 

J fin. Prov. 



Copyright. 1896, by Benziger Brothers. 



PREFACE. 



St. Boxaventure, exhorting to meditation on the life 
of Our Lord, writes : " Impress upon your heart a true 
image of Our Lord Jesus Christ : how humble He was 
among men, how kind to His disciples, how compassion- 
ate toward the poor, to whom He likened Himself in all 
things, and who seemed to constitute the favorite portion 
of His company. Consider how, slighting no one, He 
did not flatter the rich ; how free He was from the cares 
of this world, not anxiously intent upon the necessaries 
of life. Consider how patient He was when offended, 
how meek in His answers, not revenging Himself by 
cutting replies, but desirous to conciliate His enemies 
by humble and gentle words; how patiently He bore 
trials and want, and how compassionate He was toward 
die oppressed; how He descended to the imperfections 
of others, not despising sinners ; how peaceful He was 
in His whole demeanor. Consider how anxious He was 
for the salvation of souls, for whose sake He deigned to 
become man, sutler, and die. Consider His fervor in 
prayer, and how ready He was to serve others. Regard 
Him as your model in all your actions, when speaking 
and when silent, alone and in company. You will thus 

3 



4 



Preface. 



enkindle your love for Him, gain His friendship and 
grace, and perfect yourself in every virtue. Let it be 
your sole desire and prayer constantly to meditate on 
some mystery of His life, in order to incite yourself to 
love and follow Him: for the more we are intent upon 
His virtues the nearer will we draw to Him, finally to 
share with Him His heavenly glory." 

Such were the sentiments that induced Father Martin 
von Cochem to write this book. He was born in the vil- 
lage of Cochem, Germany, from which he takes his name, 
in 1630. Joining, at an early age, the Order of Capu- 
chins, he devoted himself, after his ordination to the 
priesthood, most assiduously to the salvation of souls. 
The Thirty Years' War, terminating in 1648, left the 
people deplorably demoralized, and to counteract, as 
much as was within his power, the evil influences of his 
time, he devoted himself, in addition to his pastoral 
duties, to the writing of pious books in a popular style. 
He died in 17 12. His best and most popular work was 
the " Life and Sufferings of Our Lord Jesus Christ and 
His Mother Mary," of which this volume is an abridg- 
ment and rearrangement. 

The great revolutions which, during the last two hun- 
dred years, have taken place in every department of learn- 
ing, have affected, more or less, the views held by the 
author; hence some changes were necessary. Again, it 
was deemed advisable to adhere mainly to the history of 
Our Lord as narrated in the Gospels; hence, as a rule, 
the exact words of the Evangelists are quoted. Such 
statements of the author as are not founded on Holy 



Preface. 



5 



Scripture, or on the unanimous tradition of the Fathers, 
are presented to the reader not as positive historical truth, 
but merely as probabilities or possibilities not inconsist- 
ent with Scripture or tradition. Though these pious 
legends are not articles of faith, they have been collected 
by devout, truthful, and intelligent writers, who be- 
queathed them to us for our pious consideration. Chris- 
tian people for centuries have been edified by them, and 
have obtained from them more fervor of devotion, and 
even an increase of faith and religious life. Yet, con- 
formably to a decree of Pope Urban VIII. , we add the 
express declaration that we claim only relative credence 
for these narratives, in so far as they are not sustained by 
the authority of the Church. 

To augment among men a spirit of devotion to our 
divine Lord was the object for which Father Martin 
von Cochem wrote his " Life of Christ/ 3 It is with a 
view to extending still further this same devotion that 
this abridgment of it is presented to the public— for the 
greater glory and honor of God and the salvation of 
souls. 

" In that book so old and holy, 
I would read, and read again, 
How Our Lord was once so lowly, 
Yet without a spot or stain. 

" How the little children found Him, 
How He loved them, and caressed, 
How He called them al! around Him, 
Took them to His loving breast. 



Preface. 



' How His pity, never failing, 
On the sick was sure to flow; 
How the poor, the blind, the ailing 
Were His brethren here below. 

1 With rejoicing hearts and grateful, 
Let us read, and still read on, 
How He was so true and faithful, 
How He loved us, every one. 

1 How, Good Shepherd, He did cherish 
All the flock He came to save, 
Watching that not one might perish 
Of the lambs the Father gave. 

' Let us gladly kneel, and often, 

Round His feet, Who loved us best; 
Then each stubborn heart He'll soften, 
And in Him shall all be blessed. " 



CONTENTS. 



PAGE 

Preface, 3 

Chapter I. The Blessed Virgin Mary. — The Annunciation. 

— The Visitation. — Birth of St. John the Baptist, . . 9 
Chapter II. The Birth of Jesus. — His Circumcision. — The 

Holy Name of Jesus, . . . . . . 19 

Chapter III. The Three Wise Men from the East adore the 

Infant Saviour, . . . . . . . .31 

Chapter IV. The Presentation of Jesus in the Temple. — The 

Purification of the Blessed Virgin, . . . . .41 
Chapter V. The Flight into Egypt. — The Massacre of the 

Innocents. — The Holy Family in Egypt. — Their Return . 46 

Chapter VI. Jesus, at the Age of Twelve, visits the Temple. 

— His Hidden Life at Nazareth, . . . . -54 

Chapter VII. The Baptism of Jesus. — His Fast in the 
Desert. — His Temptation. — The Beginning of His Public 
Ministry, ......... 61 

Chapter VIII. Jesus calls the Twelve Apostles. — The Ser- 
mon on the Mount, . . . . . . .71 

Chapter IX. The Parables of Jesus, S3 

Chapter X. The Miracles of Jesus, . . . . -99 

Chapter XI. Christ announces to St. Peter his Supreme Pas- 
toral Charge. — The Transfiguration, . . . .117 

Chapter XII. The Private Life of Jesus during His Min- 
istry, . . . . . . . . . .122 

Chapter XIII. The Sorrow caused to Jesus and Mary by 

the Persecution of the Jews, . . . . . .130 

7 



8 



Contents, 



PAGE 

Chapter XIV. Jesus Triumphantly enters Jerusalem, . . 137 
Chapter XV. The Barren Fig-Tree. — Various Parables. — 

Prediction of the Destruction of Jerusalem, . . .144 

Chapter XVI. The Jews lay Plans to put Jesus to Death. — 
Judas Iscariot offers to deliver Him to Them. — Jesus makes 
known His Sufferings and Death to His Mother Mary, . 155 

Chapter XVII. The Last Supper, . . . . . . 165 

Chapter XVIII. Farewell Discourse and Prayer of Jesus, . 176 

Chapter XIX. Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemani, . .182 

Chapter XX. The Treason of Judas and the Apprehension 



of Jesus, .......... 188 

Chapter XXI. Jesus before Annas, . - . . .196 

Chapter XXII. Jesus before Caiphas. — Peter's Denial of 

Jesus, 201 

Chapter XXIII. Jesus before Pilate. — The Despair of 

Judas, 208 

Chapter XXIV. Jesus before Herod. — He is rejected for 

Barabbas. — The Scourging and Crowning with Thorns, . 216 

Chapter XXV. "Behold the Man!" — Jesus is condemned to 

Death, .......... 229 

Chapter XXVI. The Way of the Cross, . . . .237 

Chapter XXVII. The Crucifixion of Jesus, . . . 245 

Chapter XXVIII. The Seven Last Words of Jesus, . .255 



Chapter XXIX. Miraculous Events at Our Lord's Death.— 

On Devotion to Our Lord's Passion, .... 267 

Chapter XXX. The Side of Jesus is Pierced with a Lance, . 272 
Chapter XXXI. Jesus is taken down from the Cross. — His 

Burial, .......... 279 

Chapter XXXII. The Resurrection of Jesus, . . . 286 
Chapter XXXIII. Jesus appears repeatedly to His Dis- 
ciples, ... . ' . ... . . 296 

Chapter XXXIV. The Ascension of Jesus and the Descent 

of the Holy Ghost, . 307 



THE LIFE OF CHRIST. 



CHAPTER I. 

THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY. — THE ANNUNCIATION. THE 

VISITATION. — BIRTH OF ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST. 

FOUR thousand years had elapsed since the fall of 
our first parents, and the promise of a Saviour was 
about to be fulfilled. And as the dawn precedes the day, 
so Mary, the mother of the Saviour, preceded the Sun of 
Justice, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and her Son. 

At that time there lived at Nazareth, in Galilee, a 
pious married couple, Joachim and Anne. Although they 
passed blameless and holy lives, they had a heavy cross 
to bear, in the rejection by God for twenty years of their 
ardent supplications to be blessed with children. Who 
can conceive the anxiety of this holy couple, who count 
the tears they shed, the sighs they breathed before the 
throne of the Giver of all gifts? For we must remember 
that in their day it was considered by all to be the great- 
est disgrace for married people to be childless. Anne 
therefore humbled herself like her namesake, the mother 
of Samuel the prophet, who had also bewailed her bar- 
renness before the Lord with bitter tears, and sighed for 

9 



IO 



The Blessed Virgin Mary. 



relief from the disgrace of sterility. The memory of the 
mother of Samuel and of her trials had a soothing influ- 
ence on both St. Joachim and St. Anne. "Let us/' said 
the latter, " like the mother of Samuel, go up to the Tem- 
ple and pray before the face of the Lord. Who knows 
but He will be pleased to hear our supplications. " 

With renewed confidence, Joachim, at the suggestion 
of his spouse, accompanied her to Jerusalem. But, alas! 
here they were to meet with a severe trial. Just as Joa- 
chim was approaching the Temple, one of the chief 
priests came toward him with a look of reproof and con- 
tempt, and rebuked him severely, saying: "How canst 
thou presume, childless and undeserving man as thou 
art, to offer sacrifice to God? Depart immediately, lest 
thy sacrifice should bring down God's wrath upon thy 
head." Put to shame before all the people, Joachim 
withdrew quietly, without a murmur of complaint, and 
when alone burst into a flood of tears; then, completely 
overpowered by grief and mortification, arose, and cross- 
ing over Mount Olivet, by way of Bethania, retired into 
the desert to his flocks and herds, where he remained five 
months in prayer and fasting. During this time Anne 
remained in sorrow at home, where she was compelled to 
listen to the aspersions of her maid-servant concerning 
her childlessness. But at last the sacrifice of their hum- 
ble and afflicted hearts was found perfect: the Almighty 
was pleased to send an angel to His sorrowful servants 
with words of comfort, and they saw the hour when they 
had cause to sing of God's infinite mercy and compas- 
sion. 



The Blessed Virgin Mary. 



I 1 



Whilst Joachim was in the desert near Mount Hermon, 
praying to God, and while Anne, at home in Nazareth, 
was pleading before the throne of Heaven for deliverance 
from her reproach, the prayers of both were heard. Sud- 
denly an angel of the Lord stood before Anne, and ad- 
dressing her said : " Your tears and prayers have been 
laid at the feet of the Most High, as well as the suppli- 
cations of your husband Joachim, and God has sent me 
to comfort you. And this is the message that I bring: 
To-morrow, at break of day, arise and go to Jerusalem, 
to offer sacrifice in the Temple. There you will meet 
your husband, for he has received a similar message and 
will be in the Temple. You will see him at the golden 
gate, and your sacrifice will be accepted. You must 
understand that your sterility had been decreed bv God, 
in order that the world might know that your child is a 
gift from God. For it will come to pass that you shall 
conceive the blessing of the promise, and will bring 
forth a holy child destined to be the mother of Him for 
whom all nations are waiting. You shall name the child 
as it shall be revealed to you/' 

A flood of inexpressible joy was thus let in upon the 
heart of the God-fearing woman : and raising her eyes 
she found that the angel had vanished, but on the wall 
opposite stood written in large and shining letters the 
word Mary. 

Everything foretold by the angel came to pass. St. 
Anne, on reaching the golden gate of the Temple, met her 
husband, St. Joachim, who, in accordance with his in- 
structions from the angel, had come to the city prepared 



12 



The Blessed Virgin Mary. 



to offer sacrifice. How happy the meeting after such a 
painful separation ! How full of gratitude their hearts, 
as they bent their steps together toward their now bright 
and happy home at Nazareth, discoursing about the good- 
ness of God! 

In the course of time St. Anne gave birth to a daugh- 
ter, whom she called Mary, as the angel had commanded. 
This child, destined from all eternity to become the 
mother of the Son of God, was, in view of His merits, 
preserved from the stain of original sin from the very 
first instant of her conception. Thus was verified the 
ancient promise: " She shall crush thy head" (Gen. iii. 
15), spoken by God in paradise to the devil, who ap- 
peared in the shape of a serpent, and induced our first 
parents to commit sin. Mary, by escaping the taint thus 
brought upon the whole human race, being conceived 
immaculate, trampled Satan and sin under foot. She 
crushed the devil's haughty head. 

On what day did this great event — Mary's birth — 
occur? An ancient legend informs us that there was 
once a holy and aged hermit, a devout servant of the 
Blessed Virgin, who used to hear on a certain day of 
each year, on the 8th of September, the most delicious 
strains of music floating through the air. So thrilling 
and sweet were the tones that he felt they must be the 
voices of angels, the melodies of a heavenly choir. 
Having besought his guardian angel to tell him the 
meaning of these joyful strains, he was given to under- 
stand that on that day Mary, the glorious Queen of 
heaven, was born on earth; that therefore the angels and 



The Annunciation. 



13 



saints united in chanting the praises of the Blessed 
Virgin in memory of the event; and that tones of trium- 
phant music resounded through the spacious dome of 
heaven in order to render homage and honor to her who 
had been raised above the angels and archangels, and 
beyond the cherubim and seraphim. 

Tradition teaches us that on the night of Mary's birth 
the apartment of St. Anne was illumined with a dazzling 
light of such power and brilliancy, that the attendants 
became alarmed and feared to open their eyes to look 
upon the favored mother and her blessed infant; whilst 
angel voices in joyful tones saluted the aurora of the 
coming King of day, the future mother of the Redeemer. 
When the attendants of St. Anne had recovered from their 
amazement, they greeted the child, and summoned the 
happy father, St. Joachim. Oh, what an ecstasy of de- 
light! With trembling hands he receives his daughter, 
presents her first to God, then presses her to his bosom, 
and with tears of humble gratitude impresses a fervent 
kiss upon her sacred lips. 

At an early age Mary was taken to the Temple, there 
to be educated with other young Jewish maidens. Obe- 
dient to a divine inspiration, she vowed herself there to 
God as a virgin. Yet, according to Jewish law and cus- 
tom, she was espoused and promised to a man named 
Joseph, of her own tribe and family. 

After her return from the Temple, when one day kneel- 
ing in prayer in her chamber, behold she saw, under a 
human form, Gabriel, the angel of the Lord, appear to 
her, The angel said to her: " Hail, full of grace! The 



The Visitation. 



Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women!" 
When she saw him, and heard his words, she "was 
troubled at his saying, and thought with herself what 
manner of salutation this should be. And the angel said 
to her : Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found grace with 
God. Behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and 
shalt bring forth a son, and thou shalt call His name 
Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of 
the Most High, and the Lord God shall give unto Him 
the throne of David His father; and He shall reign in the 
house of Jacob forever. And of His kingdom there shall 
be no end." (Luke i. 29-33.) 

Mary then understood that he spoke of the expected 
Saviour. Whatever fear she had speedily passed before 
the soothing words of her heavenly visitor, and she 
simply asked: "How shall this be done, because I know 
not man?" (Ibid. 34.) "And the angel answering said 
to her: The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and 
the powder of the Most High shall overshadow thee. 
And therefore also the Holy which shall be born of thee 
shall be called the Son of God." (Ibid. 35.) And the 
angel gave her a sign : " Behold thy cousin Elizabeth, 
she also hath conceived a son in her old age ; and this is 
the sixth month w T ith her that is called barren; because 
no word shall be impossible with God." (Ibid. 36-37.) 

Mary's answer is the ideal of dignified humility and 
meek and reverent innocence: " Behold the handmaid of 
the Lord; be it done to me according to thy w r ord." 
(Ibid. 38.) "And the angel departed from her." 

What best to do in a position so mysterious may well 



The Visitation. 



have troubled Mary's heart. The angel had told her that 
her relative Elizabeth had also been favored of God, and 
she now determined to go to her kinswoman. Elizabeth 
dwelt with her husband, the priest Zachary, in the moun- 
tains of Judea, in a village called Karem, now Ain- 
Karim. What were the thoughts of Mary in her solitary 
journey, with such a secret in her heart? She probably 
went on foot, for it was the custom of her people, and, 
moreover, she was poor. Her meeting with Elizabeth 
was naturally marked with deep emotion. It is told at 
length by St. Luke : 

" And it came to pass, that when Elizabeth heard the 
salutation of Mary, the infant leaped in her womb: and 
Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost. And she 
cried out with a loud voice, and said : Blessed art thou 
among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. 
And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord 
should come to me? For behold as soon as the voice of 
thy salutation sounded in my ears, the infant in my 
womb leaped for joy. And blessed art thou that hast 
believed, because those things shall be accomplished 
that were spoken to thee by the Lord." (Luke i. 41-45.) 

Greeted by Elizabeth as the mother of her Lord, Mary 
gives word to her sentiments in that inspired canticle of 
joy : " My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath 
rejoiced in God my Saviour. Because He that is mighty 
hath done great things to me: and holy is His name. 
And His mercy is from generation unto generations, to 
them that fear Him. He hath showed might in His arm ; 
He hath scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart. 



1 6 The Return to Nazareth. 

He hath put down the mighty from their seat, and hath 
exalted the humble. He hath rilled the hungry with 
good things; and the rich He hath sent away empty. He 
hath received Israel His servant, being mindful of his 
mercy. He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and his 
seed forever." (Luke i. 46-55.) 

The abode of Mary at Karem, in the house of Zachary, 
lasted for three months. It was one long prayer, one 
uninterrupted confidence in and adoration of the designs 
of God, and the religious expectation of their fulfilment. 
After the quiet days with Elizabeth, a trial awaited her. 
The signs of her condition were evident. It was not 
clear how God would preserve her virginal honor before 
men, and in the eyes of her spouse. Although this 
thought must have occurred to Mary, that which would 
have been anguish to an ordinary soul could not trouble 
the serenitv of her who had said: "Behold the hand- 
maid of the Lord : be it done to me according to thv 
word.' 3 

Meanwhile Joseph, who had not been told the mystery 
of the secret which Mary kept in her reserved humility, 
saw her state. Appearances seemed to indicate that she 
was unfaithful, but respect for her virtue forbade suspi- 
cion. Unable to guess the impenetrable designs of God, 
he hesitated. Then he resolved on a course which 
seemed to him the best way out of the difficulty : he 
made up his mind to put her away privately. In the 
midst of his doubt and anguish, at the moment when he 
was about to do what he believed to be right, the angel 
of the Lord appeared unto him in his sleep, saying: 



Description of the Blessed Virgin. 



T 7 



" Joseph, son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary 
thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the 
Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou 
shalt call His name Jesus, for He shall save His people 
from their sins." (Matt. i. 20-22.) Joseph awoke and 
rose, and without hesitation obeyed the word of God. 
Apart from Mary and him no one suspected that their 
marriage was intended to prepare the cradle of the Mes- 
sias, and to give Him and His mother the support of a 
man who should be, according to the law, the husband of 
the one and the father of the other. Joseph and Mary 
lived as brother and sister, according to the discreet but 
explicit expression of the gospel : " And he knew her 
not." (Matt. i. 25/) 

It is interesting to know how ancient tradition de- 
scribes Mary. She was in all things serious and earnest, 
we are told, spoke little, and only that which was to the 
purpose ; she was very gentle, and showed respect and 
honor to all. She was of medium height, though some 
say she was rather above it. She spoke to all with pru- 
dent frankness, soberly, without confusion, and always 
pleasantly. She had a fair complexion, blonde hair, and 
bright hazel eyes. Her eyebrows were arched and dark, 
her nose well proportioned, her lips ruddy, and full of 
kindness when she spoke. Her face was long rather 
than round, and her hands and fingers were finely 
shaped. She had no pride, but was simple, and wholly 
free from deceit. Without being prudish, she was far 
from forward. In her clothes, which she made herself, 

she was content with simple, natural colors. 
2 



i8 



Description of the Blessed Virgin. 



Joseph understood his relation to Mary and her ex- 
pected child. He felt himself the guardian of her vir- 
ginity, and of the childhood of Him who should be born 
of her. Noble and gentle, this simple workman was to 
have the glory of passing among men as the father of 
Jesus. He was to remain a model of self-denial, devo- 
tion, and fidelity. His name was to be united forever to 
the two most beloved names on earth — those of Jesus 
and Mary. 

We praise and adore Thee, O divine Providence, for 
the admirable wisdom with which Thou bringest about 
Thy designs, and leadest Thy elect to their proper des- 
tiny. Many things often appear to us as forever hidden 
in impenetrable mystery, and to be opposed to our intel- 
ligence, but in the lives of Thy saints we discover a 
guarantee that Thy fatherly kindness and divine wisdom 
guide to their best interests those who love Thee. Oh, 
let this beautiful and comforting faith become practical 
in our case, when Thou demandest hard and great sacri- 
fices from us, and Thv hand doth strike us harshiv in the 
dark hour of trial and affliction. 



CHAPTER II. 



THE BIRTH OF JESUS. — HIS CIRCUMCISION. THE HOLY 

NAME OF JESUS. 

DIVINE Providence foreordained from all eternity 
that the Saviour of the world should be born in 
Bethlehem, the city of David. It was concerning this 
city that, more than seven hundred years before Christ, 
the following prophecy was pronounced: "And thou, 
Bethlehem Ephrata, art a little one among the thousands 
of Juda: out of thee shall He come forth unto me that is 
to be the ruler in Israel, and His going forth is from the 
beginning, from the days of eternity." (Mich. v. 2.) But 
how was this decree of God to be accomplished? For 
the virgin chosen to be the mother of the world's Re- 
deemer dwelt with her spouse at a distance of at least 
four days' journey from Bethlehem. 

But God so ordered things that the Roman emperor, 
Caesar Augustus, became an instrument in carrying out 
the ancient prophecy. " And it came to pass that in 
those days there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, 
that the whole world should be enrolled. This enrolling 
was first made by Cyrinus, the governor of Syria; and 
all went to be enrolled, every one into his own city. 
And Joseph also went up from Galilee out of the city of 

19 



20 



The Birth of Jesus, 



Nazareth into Judea, to the city of David, which is called 
Bethlehem; because he was of the house and family of 
David, to be enrolled with Mary, his espoused wife, who 
was with child." (Luke ii. 1-5.) 

When St. Joseph received the order to go to Bethle- 
hem, he was filled with alarm, and imparted the news to 
Mary with a heavy heart. But remembering the predic- 
tion of the prophet Micheas, and knowing it to be God's 
will that she should repair to Bethlehem, she encouraged 
her chaste spouse to unreserved submission to the holy 
will of God. The day being appointed for their depar- 
ture, the holy couple provided themselves with what was 
most necessary for the journey, which, as they knew, lay 
partly through very inhospitable regions. It was at the 
beginning of the winter season, when the long, cold 
night was succeeded by the cheerless, chilly day, when 
the bright skies were hidden by heavy, leaden -colored 
clouds. 

The Blessed Virgin was seated upon an humble mule, 
while Joseph, holding the bridle, and with staff in hand, 
walked by her side. Leaving Nazareth, their road led 
through long rows of fig and olive trees, now denuded of 
their foliage, into the extensive plains of Esdrelon, which 
stretch far away over a distance of fifty miles to the 
mountains of Samaria. The road now being steeper and 
more rugged, the labor of travelling was more painful 
and tedious. Sometimes the Blessed Virgin was obliged 
to walk, and frequently she had to rest by the road-side. 
Sometimes they received hospitality from kind people 
whose hearts were touched at the sight of the tired way- 



The Birth of Jesus. 



21 



farers; sometimes, too, they met with unkind treatment 
and harsh language. 

Tradition tells us that as our lowly pilgrims were 
wending their weary way on a cold, bleak evening 
through a valley near Sichem, the Blessed Virgin be- 
came so exhausted that she could proceed no farther. 
As she reluctantly acknowledged her weariness to St, 
Joseph, the beast that bore her stood suddenly still be- 
neath a large terebinth tree, which grew near a fountain. 
Here she decided to rest. The tree was a very old and 
memorable one ; for in its shade Abraham had built an 
altar to the Lord. (Gen. xii.) Near its roots Jacob, 
when on his homeward journey, had buried Laban's 
idols. (Gen. xxxv.) Under its branches Abimelech was 
anointed king. (Judges ix. 6.) Here, too, Josue had 
set up the ark of the covenant and the tabernacle, and 
induced the assembled people to renounce their false gods. 
(Josue xxiv.) And now, under this same tree, Mary, the 
true ark of the covenant, rests, weary and sad, but yet 
contented and resigned to the will of God. Whilst St. 
Joseph, unable to lessen the difficulties of the journey, 
offers words of sympathy, she prays secretly to God for 
protection and strength. Suddenly the Lord is pleased 
to reveal to her in a miraculous ecstasy the grand myste- 
ries which had transpired near this memorable tree, and 
their intimate connection with her life and with the mis- 
sion of the future Saviour. Overflowing with heavenly 
consolation, the mother of God was wonderfully strength- 
ened, and the flame of divine love which consumed her 
heart pervaded and invigorated her whole frame, so that 



22 



The Birth of Jesus. 



she became eloquent in the praises of God. Having 
then partaken of some food and quenched her thirst at 
the fountain, she continued her journey. At last, after 
having been nearly eight full days upon the road, the pil- 
grims reached Jerusalem, and a few hours later arrived at 
Bethlehem. 

In pious contemplation and subdued prayer they ap- 
proached the town from the west, where the ascent from 
the plain was gradual and easy. When they arrived, the 
place was full of people who had come for the same pur- 
pose as they. " There was no room for them in the inn." 
(Luke ii. 7.) In the East, the inns, or khans, as they 
were called, were different from what we in the West un- 
derstand by that name. They were rude and simple 
buildings, of varying size, which offered the wayfarer the 
protection of walls and a roof, and water, but little more. 
The smaller structures sometimes consisted of only a 
single empty room, on the floor of which the traveller 
might spread his blanket for sleep: the larger ones, built 
in a hollow square, enclosed a court for the beasts, with 
water in it for them and their masters. In these inns 
usually all strangers were received and lodged : but for 
Mary and Joseph there was no room. Joseph was troub- 
led at this humiliating occurrence, principally on the 
Blessed Virgin's account, who was excessively fatigued. 
But as he had been born in the town, and had some ac- 
quaintances living there, he felt certain of being able to 
find shelter in some private house; and resolved, while 
Mary rested a little in the open air, to seek lodging 
among these friends and acquaintances. But they would 




The Holy Family 



The Birth of Jesus. 



23 



hardly recognize him, or else sought various pretexts for 
refusing his petition. Side by side with his blessed 
spouse did Joseph traverse the streets, going from door to 
door, but no heart was softened by his piteous appeals. 
At length they reached the opposite end of the town, and 
Joseph's anxiety increased at every step, for the night was 
approaching. 

Finally, when all else had failed, Joseph remembered 
that there was to the east of the town a lonely cave, into 
which the shepherds sometimes drove their flocks in 
severe weather. Mary was entirely resigned to the dis- 
pensations of Providence. Passing through the gate of 
the town, they went to the cave. It contained nothing 
but a little hay and straw, forgotten by the shepherds, 
and a wooden manger. Such was the palace prepared by 
heaven's King to receive His only-begotten Son who was 
to redeem the world. As Mary and Joseph entered this 
poor and comfortless place, their hearts were filled with 
supernatural consolation. The Blessed Virgin fell upon 
her knees and thanked her heavenly Father for the shel- 
ter, while St. Joseph made some simple preparations to 
render the place tenantable for the night. Having done 
this sendee for Mary, he retired to a small grotto at the 
further end of the cave. 

In deep and silent prayer the Blessed Virgin knelt be- 
fore the manger. Her features were resplendent with di- 
vine brightness and beauty: she seemed no longer to 
belong to this earth. As the hour of midnight drew near, 
a flood of celestial light pervaded the stable, and the 
mystery of mysteries is accomplished, the Son of God is 



24 The Birth of Jesus. 

born a man. For an instant, the newly-made mother is 
lost in heavenly contemplation. A feeble wail recalls 
her from her trance. Oh, the indescribable, ravishing 
joy of her mother-heart, as her eye falls upon her own 
child, and yet her King and God! What ardent words 
of adoration, as she looks upon her Lord and Creator! 
She presses Him to her heart, she imprints ardent 
kisses upon His infant lips; for this God and Creator, 
this Lord and King, is in reality her own child, her only, 
first-born son. 

And now St. Joseph, arising from his knees in the ad- 
joining grotto, draws near to the divine infant. He falls 
down and adores, joy and reverence fill his heart, tears 
of gladness bedew his cheeks, words of gratitude escape 
his trembling lips. He takes the infant Jesus in his 
arms and presses Him to his heart, and his soul is unable 
to contain the joy which overflows it. 

Mary now wrapped the child in swaddling-clothes and 
laid Him on some straw in the manger. 

" And there were in the same country shepherds, 
watching and keeping the night-watches over their flock. 
And behold, an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the 
brightness of God shone round about them, and they 
feared with a great fear. And the angel said to them : 
Fear not, for behold I bring you good tidings of great 
joy, that shall be to all the people: for this day is born 
to you a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord, in the city of 
David. And this shall be a sign unto you. You shall 
find the infant wrapped in swaddling-clothes, and laid 
in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a 



The Birth of Jesus. 



25 



multitude of the heavenly army, praising God, and say- 
ing: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to 
men of good will." (Luke ii. 8-14.) 

With this heavenly anthem the light faded from the 
hills as the angels returned to heaven, and left earth once 
more in the shadow of night, knowing not the great event 
which divine Omnipotence had wrought. Wondering at 
such a vision, and full of simple trust, the shepherds had 
but one thought — to see the mother and child for them- 
selves. " And it came to pass, after the angels departed 
from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one an- 
other : Let us go over to Bethlehem, and let us see this 
word that is come to puss, which the Lord hath showed 
us. And they came with haste, and they found Mary and 
Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger." (Luke ii. 

3 5> l6 -) 

Xo details are given : no heightening of the picture of 
this first act of adoration before the new-born Saviour. 
Nor are they needed. The lowliness of the visitors, the 
pure image of the virgin mother and her child are better 
left in their own simplicity. 

Touching and significant is that old tradition which 
avers that the very beasts of the field, and the senseless 
things, showed signs of delight at the birth of their Cre- 
ator. The ox and the ass of the stable fell upon their 
knees before Him: the lambs on the plains skipped for 
joy; the birds of the air, mistaking the extraordinary 
brilliancy of the heavens for the noon-day sun, sang their 
sweetest lays: the very plants and shrubs in the gardens 
near Bethlehem put forth their brightest blossoms. In 



26 



The Birth of Jesus. 



many places new springs burst forth from the earth; as, 
for example, in the city of Rome, beyond the Tiber, one 
burst forth, yielding, instead of water, a fragrant oil, 
which flowed in great abundance. In commemoration of 
this strange occurrence, a church was built over the spot, 
called St. Mary's beyond the Tiber, and termed to this 
day, in remembrance of this circumstance, Fons Olei — 
"Fount of Oil." 

In heathen lands, and even in the empire of Satan, the 
new-born King proclaimed His arrival by extraordinary 
signs. The Roman people, being at that time desirous 
of paying divine honors to their emperor, Augustus, he 
had summoned the Sibyl of Tiber, in order to consult 
with her as to whether or not he should accept these 
tempting honors. The sibyls, among the ancient 
heathens, were women supposed to be gifted with a 
knowledge of the future. Their sayings were regarded 
in pagan Rome with so much reverence and faith that 
the heads of the nation frequently consulted them. When 
Augustus consulted the sibyl, it was noon, and she, look- 
ing up to heaven, saw a golden arc about the sun, and in 
its centre a virgin holding a lovely infant. The sibyl, 
showing this apparition to the emperor, said to him: 
"That child is mightier than thou; fall down and adore 
Him. 7 ' The emperor knelt and adored, and afterward had 
erected in the Senate chamber an altar in honor of this 
mysterious child, with the inscription: Arc Primogeniti 
Dei — " Altar of the First-born of God." On the same 
place a church was afterward built in commemoration, 
called to this day Ara deli, that is, " Altar of Heaven." 



The Circumcision. 



27 



Pious legends relate that at the time of the Nativity 
lightning fell from the clouds, and struck the pagan tem- 
ples so violently that the idols were thrown from their 
pedestals and broken in fragments, or melted to shapeless 
masses; that many oracles through whose mouths the 
devil used to speak were struck dumb forever, for they 
felt already the power of Him who had come to destroy 
the rule of Satan. Thus we see that Christ's coming 
upon earth awoke a general commotion throughout created 
nature. 

On the eighth day after His birth, the divine Child 
was circumcised according to the law which God had 
given to Abraham. Although not subject to this law, 
because paternally He w r as not descended from Abraham, 
Christ nevertheless submitted to the rite, to give us an 
example of humility, obedience, and patience. As to the 
person by whom the circumcision was performed, or 
where it took place, we have no certainty. St. Epipha- 
nius says it was in the cave of the Nativity, and in pres- 
ence of Mary and Joseph. This is very probable, be- 
cause, according to the law, children and their mothers 
were not permitted to leave the house w T here the birth 
had taken place before the expiration of forty days. St. 
Luke describes this important, significant, and mysterious 
event in the few and simple words : " And after eight 
days were accomplished that the child should be circum- 
cised, His name was called Jesus, which was called by 
the angel before He was conceived in the womb." (Luke 
ii. 21.) 

The name Jesus signifies Saviour. When the angel 



28 



The Holy A 7 ame of Jesus. 



appeared to Joseph in his sleep, saying: " Fear not to 
take unto thee Mary thy wife, for that which is conceived 
in her is of the Holy Ghost, and she shall bring forth a 
son/ 7 he added: "Thou shalt call His name Jesus, for 
He shall save His people from their sins." (Matt. i. 
20, 21.) This, then, was why the Son of God, incarnate, 
was to be distinguished by a name so important and so 
glorious. "He shall save His people from their sins." 
This He effects in a threefold manner, in regard to all 
such as may be denominated " His people," that is, such 
as truly believe in Him. He saves them from their sins, 

J 7 

first, by washing away those sins with His own sacred 
blood; secondly, by imparting to them the grace of suc- 
cessfully resisting sin ; and, thirdly, by conducting them 
to the gates of bliss, whence sin is forever excluded. 
Observe, it is not said that He shall save us from war, 
famine, death, or other disaster to which we are inclined 
in this world, but that He shall save us from sin, in 
which signal deliverance every other blessing is included. 

To know, then, whether we belong to those to whom 
Jesus Christ is the Saviour, we have but to examine 
whether we desire to be saved from sin; whether we sin- 
cerely regard it as the greatest of all evils: and whether 
we are determined to renounce it, as such, with all the 
energy of our souls. At the same time, let us remember, 
that unless these are our dispositions, in practice as well 
as in theory, we frustrate the design of the incarnation of 
the Son of God, since He became man only to save man 
from sin. 

Such is the meaning of the adorable name of Jesus, a 



The Holy Name of Jesus. 



29 



name which God has raised above ail names, to the end 
"that in the name of Jesus every knee should bow of 
those that are in heaven, on earth, and under the earth.'' 
(Philipp. ii. 10.) This sacred name, St. Paul asserts, no 
one is able to pronounce worthily but by the grace of the 
Holy Ghost; because to invoke as we ought the sacred 
name of Our Saviour we must be desirous of being saved 
by Him from the servitude of sin, from which He came to 
deliver us. 

Of this most holy name the holy Fathers have written 
so beautifully that their words cannot be read with- 
out experiencing a holy joy. We quote St. Bernard: 
" Blessed name ! Oil flowing softly over the whole earth ! 
From heaven it flowed down to Judea, and from Judea it 
flowed over the whole earth, and from the earth even into 
hell, so that at the name of Jesus all knees bend in 
heaven, on the earth, and in hell. ' Thy name is as flow- 
ing oil. 5 How striking the resemblance between oil and 
the name of the Saviour! Oil has three qualities: it il- 
luminates, it nourishes, it heals. It sustains the fire, it 
strengthens the body, it heals the wound. It furnishes 
light, serves as food, and acts as medicine. So, too, the 
name of Jesus illuminates when He preaches, nourishes 
when He protects, heals when He is invoked. For how 
else explain the sudden flash of the light of faith over 
the world but through the preaching of the name of 
Jesus? What more effectually nourishes our courage; 
what strengthens our virtue and maintains morality ; what 
promotes chaste self-control; what fills the soul with 
such sweetness and vigor as the name of Jesus, when we 



3° 



The Holy Name of Jesus, 



ponder on it in holy meditation ? Is one of us sad or 
timid, in danger, perhaps in sin? Behold! as soon as the 
name of Jesus enters his heart and ascends to his lips, all 
gloom vanishes before the light, and the anxious sinner 
breathes a new life. Insipid is that food of the soul 
which is not flavored with the oil of Jesus' name. I take 
no pleasure in anything that may be written, except I 
read there the name of Jesus. No words you may ad- 
dress to me will excite my interest, unless I hear among 
them the name of Jesus. Jesus is honey in my mouth, 
music in my ear, and joy to my heart. Always carry this 
name in thy breast, as He Himself directs us: 4 Put Me 
as a seal upon thy heart, as a seal upon thy arm ' 
(Cant. viii. 6)." 

Sweet and amiable infant Saviour! With Thy mother 
and St. Joseph, I adore Thee lying in the manger: with 
the shepherds I kneel at Thy feet and acknowledge Thee 
the Saviour of the world, and call upon Thy most holy 
name. Let me experience its sweetness and its power: 
be unto me a Saviour! How foolish I have been to de- 
prive myself of so many consolations by neglecting to 
call upon Thy holy name ! Blessed name of Jesus, I will 
henceforth remember thee in my difficulties and afflic- 
tions, I will invoke thee in the hour of temptation, I will 
honor thee in every word and act of mine. Then, I trust, 
all the power and blessing contained in that name will be 
infused into my soul. 



CHAPTER III. 



THE THREE WISE MEN FROM THE EAST ADORE THE IX- 



T. MATTHEW describes the coming of the Wise 



Men from the East to adore the infant Saviour as 
follows : " When Jesus therefore was born in Bethlehem of 
Juda, in the days of King Herod, behold there came Wise 
Men from the East to Jerusalem, saying : Where is He 
that is born king of the Jews? For we have seen His 
star in the East, and are come to adore Him." (Matt, 
ii. i, 2.) Isaias foretold this event, saying: "Arise, be 
enlightened, O Jerusalem, for thy light is come, and the 
glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. For behold dark- 
ness shall cover the earth, and a mist the people: but 
the Lord shall arise upon thee, and His glory shall be 
seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall walk in thy 
light, and kings in the brightness of thy rising. Lift up 
thy eyes round about and see : all these are gathered to- 
gether, they are come to thee. Thy sons shall come 
from afar, and thy daughters shall rise up at thy side. 
Then shalt thou see, and abound, and thy heart shall 
wonder and be enlarged, when the multitude of the sea 
shall be converted to thee. The multitude of camels 
shall cover thee, the dromedaries of Madian and Epha : 



FANT SAVIOUR. 




3 2 



Adoration of the Magi. 



all they from Saba shall come, bringing gold and frank- 
incense, and showing forth praise to the Lord." (Is. 
lx. 1-6.) 

This prophecy was fulfilled on the day of the Epiph- 
any, when the divinity of Our Saviour was made manifest 
to the Gentiles, in the persons of the three Wise Men 
from the East. The history is as follows. 

When the Israelites, on their way to the Promised 
Land, were about to pass through the country of Moab, 
King Balac summoned to his court a heathen prophet 
named Balaam, to curse the Hebrew people. But the 
Lord compelled the false prophet, against his will, to 
pronounce a blessing; so that looking far away into fu- 
ture ages, and raising his voice, he said : " A star shall 
rise out of Jacob, and a sceptre shall spring up from 
Israel, and shall strike the chiefs of Moab, and shall 
waste all the children of Seth. And he shall possess 
Idumea: the inheritance of Seir shall come to their ene- 
mies, but Israel shall do manfully. Out of Jacob shall 
he come that shall rule, and shall destroy the remains of 
the city." (Num. xxiv. 17-19.) 

From this remarkable prophecy the heathen nations 
had come to believe that among the Jews a mighty king 
would one day be born, who would bring the Gentiles 
and their whole territory under his subjection. While 
most people naturally, in the course of long ages, lost 
sight of this wonderful prophecy, some few prominent 
and earnest men, who were well versed in astronomy, 
kept its remembrance fresh in their minds. So much 
importance did the Gentiles attach to the prophet's words 



Adoration of the Magi. 



33 



that, as tradition tells us, certain persons were appointed 
to take their station on Mount Victorialis, there to observe 
the heavens, and to watch and pray that God would soon 
permit this extraordinary star to appear in the firmament. 
But the watchers died without seeing the star. The de- 
sire for a Saviour did not, however, die with them, but 
was kept alive by the transmission of the tradition from 
father to son through all generations. The watchmen on 
the mountain were replaced by others from age to age. 

On Christmas night, a strange star of unusual bril- 
liancy was discovered in that portion of the sky toward 
Judea. Some astronomers are of opinion that it was 
merely a clustering together of several of the ordinary 
heavenly bodies, but as these scientific men are not 
agreed, we prefer to abide by tradition, and the opinions 
of the early holy Fathers, and to believe that the Creator 
placed an entirely new star in the heavens in order to 
glorify the coming upon earth of His divine Son. 

At once several of the devout people of the East set 
out for Judea, in order to visit the long-expected king, 
and to pay Him their homage. Chief among them were 
three estimable princes, named Melchior, Caspar, and 
Balthasar, who felt themselves inspired by Heaven to 
undertake the journey. Being well versed in the science 
of the stars, and acquainted with the old prophecy of 
Balaam, they were called Magi, or Wise Men. As 
these three persons, each in his own country, were en- 
gaged on the night of the Lord's birth in studying the 
movements of the stars, and, like their forefathers, 
praying and yearning for the Redeemer's coming, they 
3 



34 



Adoration of the Magi, 



saw simultaneously this unusually large and brilliant 
orb appear suddenly in the firmament in the direction 
of Judea. At once they knew, by special revelation, 
that now at last the long-wished-for star of promise had 
arisen. It is impossible to describe their joy. They 
immediately resolved to set out, notwithstanding the 
severity of the winter season and the difficulties of a 
journey of more than a hundred leagues, to visit Judea 
and there adore the new-born King. 

So the three devout and learned princes prepared to 
set out, each one from his own land, taking with them 
valuable offerings to be presented to the new-born King. 
Each was accompanied by several companions, attend- 
ants, servants, and a number of people of various ranks. 
When all was ready, the caravan moved oft", and the star 
which they had seen at home guided them during the 
whole journey. On they went, over extensive countries, 
through vast deserts, across streams. When they passed 
through a town, the inhabitants would come out to gaze 
with wonder at the splendid equipments of the princes, 
their numerous attendants, and the long line of camels 
and dromedaries : though no one along the route, even 
close to Jerusalem, seemed to know anything about this 
new-born King for whom the travellers eagerly inquired. 

At last, on the twelfth day of their journey, and after 
much fatigue and inconvenience, they came within sight 
of Jerusalem. With what unfeigned delight they hailed 
the appearance of this holy city, which they fondly hoped 
to be the end of their pilgrimage! But as they came 
near, the star suddenly disappeared from the heavens. 



Adoration of the Magi, 35 

The amazed travellers did not look upon this event as 
presaging much good ; yet they determined to enter. As 
they passed in long procession through the streets, on 
their way to the palace, an immense concourse of people 
came out in surprise to view this strange spectacle. King- 
Herod received his distinguished visitors with apparent 
respect and friendship, and inquired the object of their 
coming. And they replied : " Where is He that is born 
king of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the 
East, and are come to adore Him." But nobody could 
tell them. The cruel and jealous Herod was shocked at 
the inquiry, but concealing, as well as he could, his anx- 
iety, he replied in apparent good faith: "Your inquiries 
are indeed of the greatest importance, but you must be 
fatigued after your long and wearisome journey, and 
need some repose. Take a few hours, therefore, together 
with all your attendants, to enjoy refreshment and rest; 
and, at the proper hour, I will give you the fullest infor- 
mation possible." 

This being done, Herod assembled the chief priests, 
scribes, and other learned men, and demanded informa- 
tion concerning the birth of Christ. i; But they said to 
him : In Bethlehem of Juda. For so it is written by the 
prophet: And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art 
not the least among the cities of Juda : for out of thee 
shall come forth the captain that shall rule My people 
Israel. Then Herod privately calling the Wise Men 
learned diligently of them the time of the star which ap- 
peared to them, and sending them into Bethlehem, said: 
Go and diligently inquire after the child, and when you 



36 



Adoration of the Magi. 



have found Him, bring me word again, that I also may 
come and adore Him." (Matt. ii. 5-8.) 

The three Wise Men bade adieu to Herod, and scarcely 
had they left Jerusalem when the vanished star appeared 
again in all its brilliancy. At this welcome and cheer- 
ing sight the whole caravan burst forth into acclamations 
of joy. With renewed courage they hastened on to Beth- 
lehem, and soon the city of David greeted their eyes. 
The entrance into the town of such an unusually large 
and brilliant cavalcade brought out the whole of the 
wondering population. But the pilgrims kept their eyes 
fixed on the guiding star and its movements, and fol- 
lowed it to the outskirts of the town, where it stood still 
directly above the lowly stable. The Wise Men now 
felt convinced that their journey was ended and their 
object attained. Yet they were sorely puzzled at seeing 
no palace, not even a cottage. Only a ruinous stable 
stood before them. They could not understand how He 
whose glory had been proclaimed by Heaven itself could 
dwell in this poor and gloomy abode of cattle. Yet there 
stood the miraculous star shedding its brightest rays 
upon this abandoned ruin. But as they were looking, 
with doubt and misgiving, into the stable, their souls 
were, in reward for their humility and perseverance, en- 
lightened by the Holy Ghost, and they understood and 
appreciated so thoroughly the poverty and self-denial of 
the infant Saviour that they trembled at the thought 
how near they were to the King of heaven and how soon 
to appear in His presence. 

Hastily adjusting their travel-stained garments, ar- 



Adoration of the Magi. 



37 



ranging their presents, and composing their minds, they 
prepared for a becoming appearance before their King. 
When the whole company was ready, they advanced 
toward the stable, and the three Wise Men, with a few 
favorite attendants, entered the stable. They found 
Mary seated, with the divine Infant in her arms, w r hile 
St. Joseph stood near gazing with eyes of tender affec- 
tion upon his heavenly charge. Completely overpowered 
at this spectacle of poverty and humility, the Wise Men, 
unable to utter a word, sank upon their knees before the 
Child in silent adoration. Long they lingered, absorbed 
in deep and silent prayer, while the heavenly Father 
filled their hearts with sentiments of adoration for Jesus, 
and affection and reverence for Mary and Joseph. 

At last they rose from their devotions, and having 
reverently and fondly kissed the feet of the infant Jesus, 
opened their treasures, and with bowed heads and bended 
knees presented their offerings of gold, incense, and 
myrrh. And thus these three good men made practical 
and outward homage of their soul-felt admiration for 
their Saviour. 

On the gifts of the three Wise Men the holy Fathers 
comment as follows: First, in their nature these gifts 
were perfectly suited to the qualities of Jesus Christ, to 
whom they were offered. By the gold they expressed 
their submission to Him as a sovereign king, gold being 
always considered as a tribute due to royalty; by the in- 
cense they showed that they adored Him as God, incense 
being generally made use of in the service of the Deity; 
by the myrrh they clearly evinced that they believed 



38 



Adoration of the Magi. 



Him to be mortal, since it is one of the principal ingre- 
dients used in embalming the dead. The holy Fathers 
also advise us that we may and ought to make like pres- 
ents to Christ, in a spiritual sense, to those offered to 
Him by the Wise Men in the stable of Bethlehem. We 
must give Him our gold by charity to the poor; we must 
present Him our incense by fervent prayer; and we must 
offer Him myrrh, the nature of which is to preserve from 
the effects of corruption, by the virtue of self-denial, 
thereby destroying those seeds of perversion which sin 
has implanted in us. 

" And having received an answer in sleep, that they 
should not return to Herod, they went back another way 
into their country." (Matt. ii. 12.) The devout Magi 
had accomplished their desire, having seen Jesus and 
presented their offerings. Therefore, taking leave of the 
Holy Family, they prepared to return quietly to Jeru- 
salem, in order to inform Herod of their success. But 
during the night preceding their departure, as they lay 
asleep in their tents, they had a vision of angels, one of 
whom said : " Arise, and hurry away to your homes, but 
do not pass through Jerusalem ; take the route through 
the desert, for Herod must neither see nor hear of you 
again." Without asking the meaning of this extraordi- 
nary order, they obeyed with promptness, arose, folded 
their tents, loaded their beasts of burden, and mounting 
their camels, returned home by the way pointed out by 
the angel in the vision. 

After a long and fatiguing journey they reached their 
own country, and related to their eagerly inquiring 



Adoration of the Magi. 



39 



friends how they had been guided by the strange star, 
described their interview with Herod, and their inde- 
scribable happiness at finding the new-born King. They 
continued to lead good and holy lives, often recalling the 
pleasant incidents of their visit to Judea. An ancient 
writer tells us, that after the ascension of Our Lord, St. 
Thomas, the apostle, went to the East and baptized the 
three Wise Men, who from that time became stanch 
defenders and eloquent preachers of the faith of Christ, 
and afterward were made bishops, and at a good old 
age slept in the Lord. Later, their remains were brought 
to Constantinople, were removed afterward to Milan, 
and were finally brought by the Emperor Frederic Bar- 
barossa to Cologne, in Germany, where they are to-day 
held in profound veneration. 

Happy the man who, like the Magi, implicitly follows 
the direction of God, and engages in nothing unless by 
the authority of His ever-sacred orders. Ever attentive 
to the call of Heaven, nothing must be suffered to hinder 
us from following it without delay, ever submissive to 
its dictates, nothing must be allowed to divert us from 
the straight line of duty. Thus the divine light will 
guide us, like the three Wise Men, on our way, and lead 
us to that salvation which Christ revealed to them. 

Holy Father in heaven! I offer Thee, at the manger 
of Thy divine Son, in company with the three Wise Men, 
and following their example, gold, frankincense, and 
myrrh. I offer Thee the gold of Christ's royal dignity, 
by virtue of which all men must bow down in submis- 
sion. I offer Thee the pure and brilliant gems of His 



4Q 



Adoration of the Magi. 



human-divine virtues and perfections, always so beauti- 
ful in the eyes of Heaven. I offer to Thee Thine only- 
begotten Son Himself, together with all His graces and 
merits, acquired by Him for our sake and for our benefit. 

I offer Thee the sweet incense of all the fervent pray- 
ers with which the holy soul of Jesus glorified Thee dur- 
ing His mortal life. I offer Thee the sweet spices of 
His humility, patience, obedience, all of which have 
been as fragrant incense in Thy sight. 

I offer Thee the bitter myrrh of all those precious tears 
which, from the manger to the cross, He shed for the 
conversion of sinners. I offer Thee the sacred body of 
Thy divine Son, with all its pains and sufferings, from 
the moment of His birth to His expiration on the cross. 

All these I bring to Thee, heavenly Father, with de- 
vout heart, entreating Thee to enrich me with grace, to 
pardon all sinners, and to replenish all devout followers 
of Jesus with divine favors, until Thou dost admit us all 
together to the never-ending happiness of heaven. 



CHAPTER IV. 



THE PRESENTATION OF JESUS IN THE TEMPLE. THE 

PURIFICATION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN. 

A FTER the birth of a son, Jewish mothers had to pass 



l \ forty days in seclusion to await the day of their 
purification, and of their child's presentation in the Tem- 
ple. The law required every mother to offer, on this oc- 
casion, a lamb one year old, or, if she were poor, a pair 
of turtle-doves or young pigeons. 

" And after the days of her purification according to 
the law of Moses were accomplished, they carried Him 
to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord, and to offer a 
sacrifice according as it is written in the law of the Lord; 
a pair of turtle-doves or two young pigeons. " (Luke ii. 
22-24.) The holy mother of God prepared to set out 
with her spouse, St. Joseph, on her journey to Jerusalem. 
They made one last visit to the stable to take leave of 
the walls that had first given shelter to the Saviour. At 
daybreak the holy pilgrims were already on the road.~ 
Mary, with her child on her bosom, was seated on an ass 
led by St. Joseph, who walked at the side, occupied in 
silent prayer, meditation, and thoughts of gratitude to 
God. Slowly they descended the hill on which Bethle- 
hem stood. Tears started from their eyes as they re- 




4^ 



The Presentation and the Purification. 



membered the great mercy bestowed by Heaven on the 
city of David, and the few who recognized it. But what 
man in his blindness refused, the senseless creatures en- 
deavored to make good. For, as it had happened when 
the pilgrims were coming from Nazareth to Bethlehem, 
the beast stopped under an old terebinth tree, and the 
tree bowed, and dipped its largest branches over the head 
of the Infant and its mother, as if paying homage to its 
Creator. Then they resumed their journey, and soon 
were in Jerusalem. 

Quietly and unnoticed the Holy Family passed through 
the streets on their way to the Temple, where they were 
met by the venerable priest Simeon. " And behold there 
was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon, and this man was 
just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and 
the Holy Ghost was in Him." (Luke ii. 25.) It had 
been revealed to this servant of God that he would not 
see death till he had first seen the promised Messias. 
Impelled by holy yearnings, this devout old man had 
come early this morning to the Temple, and on meeting 
the Holy Family near the door, he knew, by an inspira- 
tion of the Holy Ghost, that this child was the Child of 
Promise. 

The Blessed Virgin was then conducted to that part 
of the Temple where the ceremony of purification usually 
took place. When it was over, the venerable Simeon 
conducted the holy mother and her Child to the altar, 
where the presentation and ransoming of her first-born 
was performed. Every requirement of the law being 
complied with, the holy old man. unable to restrain his 



The Presentation and the Purification. 



43 



feelings, takes the divine Infant in his arms, and gives 
thanks to God in inspired words : " Now then dost Thou 
dismiss Thy servant, O Lord, according to Thy word, in 
peace: because my eyes have seen Thy salvation, which 
Thou hast prepared before the face of all peoples. A 
light to the revelation of the Gentiles, and the glory of 
Thy people Israel." (Luke ii. 29-32.) Then, turning 
to Mar}' and Joseph, the old man says a few parting 
words, with prophetic insight of the future of both the 
Child and His mother. "And Simeon blessed them, 
and said to Marv His mother: Behold, this Child is set 
for the fall and for the resurrection of many in Israel, 
and for a sign which shall be contradicted. x-Ynd thy 
own soul a sword shall pierce, that out of many hearts 
thoughts may be revealed." (Luke ii. 34, 35.) The 
meaning of which is: Your Child is destined for the fall 
of many in Israel, for many will reject Him; but also 
for the rising of many, who will believe in Him and live. 
He is sent for a sign which will be spoken against 
and meet with reproach and contradiction, which will 
reveal the thoughts of many hearts respecting Him: a 
truth which sadly culminated on Calvary. That Mary's 
own heart was pierced with the sword of sorrow, her 
whole life proves. 

At the same time, " there was one Anna, a prophetess, 
the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser; she was 
far advanced in years, and had lived with her husband 
seven years from her virginity. And she was a widow 
until fourscore and four years: who departed not from 
the Temple by fasting and prayers, serving night and 



44 



The Presentation and the Purification. 



day. Now she at the same hour coming in. confessed to 
the Lord, and spoke of Him to all that looked for the 
redemption of Israel/"' (Luke ii. 36-38.) What hap- 
piness for this venerable widow to be deemed worthy, as 
the first of all the women of Jerusalem, to look upon the 
Messias, and to proclaim Him as the long-desired of 
nations. 

As Mary and Joseph listened to the remarkable words 
of Simeon and Anna, they wondered that it had so soon 
pleased God to make known the divine mission of their 
Child. All four together praised the mercy of God, and 
then the holy parents, bidding farewell to Simeon and 
Anna, returned with their infant to their own home at 
Nazareth. " And after they had performed all things 
according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Gali- 
lee, to their city Nazareth." (Luke ii. 39.) 

In the presentation of Jesus, and the purification of 
Mary, behold the humility of both. The Son of God 
could not be bound by a law of which He Himself was 
the author: the mother of God, who had conceived and 
brought, forth her divine Child in so extraordinary a 
manner, might certainly have claimed exemption from 
the usages established for the rest of her sex. Still both 
of them submit and readily conform to the precepts of 
the law. O wonderful example! How loudly it con- 
demns the want of submission of those who pay so little 
deference to the precepts of the Church, the sole design 
of which is to promote their salvation ! 

The presentation of Jesus and the purification of 
Mary are observed as a feast by the Church on the 2d of 



The Presentation and the Purification. 



45 



February. It is called the feast of the Purification of 
the Blessed Virgin Mary, and is also known by the name 
of Candlemas Day, from the candles blessed before 
Mass, to remind us of Him whom Simeon was inspired 
to call the "Light to the revelation of the Gentiles.*' 
This feast was instituted by Pope Gelasius, a.d. 542. 

O Jesus, Thou light of the world, who wast pleased 
on this day to be offered in the Temple, impart to me 
a portion of the disposition of these four holy persons 
who were witnesses of Thy presentation in the Temple. 
Give me the humility of Mary, the simplicity of Joseph, 
the fervor of Simeon, the self-denial of Anna, so that, 
like them, I may walk in the brightness of Thy glorious 
light, and at last be admitted into the heavenly Jerusa- 
lem, the imperishable temple of Thy eternal glory. 



CHAPTER V. 



THE FLIGHT INTO EGYPT. — THE MASSACRE OF THE INNO- 
CENTS. — THE HOLY FAMILY IN EGYPT. — THEIR RE- 



HE sword which, according to Simeon's prophecy, 



I was to pierce the Blessed Virgin's soul, soon made 
itself felt. Not long after the departure of the Wise 
Men, " behold an angel of the Lord appeared in sleep to 
Joseph, saying: Arise and take the Child and His 
mother, and fly into Egypt, and be there until I shall tell 
thee. For it will come to pass that Herod will seek the 
Child to destroy Him." (Matt. ii. 13.) 

It was midnight when Joseph and Mary, carrying the 
divine Infant, fled from Nazareth. Tradition tells us 
that Joseph carefully led an ass upon which was seated 
Mary with the Child. All nature seemed buried in 
ominous repose as they slowly and cautiously descended 
the hill near the town into the plain below. But what 
course shall they now follow? The ordinary route to 
Egypt lay through Jerusalem and Bethlehem, and could 
they evade the watchfulness of Herod and pursue this 
way in safety? In their great fear, they turned aside 
from frequented roads, and journeyed over unfrequented 
paths through Galilee, Samaria, and Judea, often sleep- 



TURN. 




Christ Discourses with the Doctors. 



The Flight into Egypt. 



47 



ing under the canopy of heaven, and tormented by thirst 
and hunger. 

At length the weary wanderers reached the city of 
Gaza, just beyond Herod's jurisdiction. New dangers 
now awaited them amid the sandy deserts of Arabia, 
which here extend their dismal, arid wastes over a three 
weeks' journey. They pressed forward amid clouds of 
blinding sand, reaching a spring of water only at great 
intervals. We may venture to accept with devout belief 
the pious and beautiful legends of the miraculous inter- 
position of God in behalf of His beloved pilgrims. 

Thus it is related that one day the Holy Family, hav- 
ing come to the foot of a gloomy and rugged mountain, 
were unable to discover any path by w T hich they might 
ascend and cross to the valley beyond. In their per- 
plexity they had recourse to prayer, and soon several of 
the beasts which infested the vicinity, at the command 
of God came and gathered with friendly mien around the 
pilgrims. These beasts, the terror of all travellers who 
penetrated this wilderness, proceeded quietly in advance 
up the mountain ; Joseph followed, and soon discovered 
the right path leading to the valley on the other side. 

Another time, having travelled far into the night with- 
out finding any refreshment or a place to rest their 
weary limbs, they saw a glimmering light in the dis- 
tance. Following the friendly signal, they were much 
alarmed, on coming near, to find that they had ap- 
proached a robbers' cave. The chief of the robbers came 
forth from his hiding-place, and regarded the timid trav- 
ellers with a look foreboding evil. But suddenly his eye 



4 8 



The Flight into Egypt. 



fell on the beauteous infant in its mother's arms, and a 
ray of dazzling light seemed to dart from the divine 
countenance and penetrate the bandit's heart. Struck 
dumb with astonishment, he could only invite them by 
friendly signs to enter his poor abode. Here they were 
kindly received by the robber's wife, who furnished them 
with whatever her dismal home could afford. After par- 
taking of the nourishment so much needed, Mary took 
advantage of the woman's kindness and of the limited 
accommodations of the cavern to bathe her infant. The 
woman then placed her own child, that had been afflicted 
from its birth with a repulsive skin disease, in the same 
water, and behold, the child's body became fair and 
comely. In the morning the grateful woman supplied 
her departing guests with some food for their journey, 
and the bandit himself insisted upon accompanying them 
a part of the way to point out the best and safest roads. 
As he was about to take his leave of the holy group, he 
looked for a moment at the divine Infant, and said rever- 
ently : " Lord, remember me when Thou shalt come into 
Thy kingdom." (Luke xxiii. 42.) Later, this same rob- 
ber was crucified with Jesus, and, suing for mercy, used 
the same words. 

Legend gives us many other accounts of the joy ex- 
hibited by the birds, beasts, and trees as their great 
Creator passed by. The barren sands of the desert 
were studded with flowers, which became known by the 
name of roses of Jericho, and even now continue to 
bloom in the desert, and are greatly prized by pious pil- 
grims. Thus the words of the prophet were literally ful- 



Massacre of the Holy Innocents. 49 



filled : " The land that was desolate and impassable shall 
be glad, the wilderness shall rejoice and shall flourish 
like the lily. It shall bud forth and blossom, and shall 
rejoice with joy and praise/' 7 (Is. xxxv. 1, 2.) 

Still another prophecy was fulfilled on this divinely 
ordained pilgrimage. " Behold the Lord will ascend, and 
will enter into Egypt, and the idols of Egypt shall be 
moved at His presence, and the heart of Egypt shall melt 
in the midst thereof.*' (Is. xix. 1.) For hardly had 
the holy group emerged from the deserts of Egypt when 
the false gods of the country began to feel conscious of 
the presence of the divine Infant, and to know that their 
end had come. As several reliable historians of antiq- 
uity affirm, the idols in the public squares and in the 
temples fell to the ground, creating grief and consterna- 
tion among the pagan inhabitants. 

Meanwhile Herod, knowing nothing of the escape of 
the Holy Family, and '' perceiving that he was deluded 
by the Wise Men, was exceeding angry, and sending, 
killed all the men-children that were in Bethlehem, and 
in all the borders thereof, from two years old and under, 
according to the time which he had diligently inquired 
of the Wise Men.'' (Matt ii. 16.) Often had Herod's 
soul been stained with blood, and he shrank not, there- 
fore, from this cruel slaughter of the innocents. Legend 
tells us, that in order to make his work surer and easier, 
he invited all the mothers of Bethlehem to meet in the 
public town-hall, and to bring their children of two years 
old and under, so that he might award a prize to each 
child. How happy the unsuspecting mothers must have 
4 



50 Massacre of the Holy Innocents. 



been as they arrayed themselves and their dear ones in 
holiday attire to make a creditable appearance before the 
king's representatives! How gayly and hopefully they 
hastened, at the appointed time, to the place of as- 
sembly! 

Alas, what a horrible and cruel deception ! Scarcely 
were all safely within the building when the doors were 
fastened, and Herod's executioners, rushing upon the 
horror-stricken mothers, tore the children from their arms, 
and murdered the poor innocents in a most cruel man- 
ner. They cleft their heads, cut their throats, stabbed 
them to the heart, and gashed their limbs. Even the 
mothers who defended their children were brutally 
wounded. At first, it might well seem to be a miserable 
dream. But when they saw the streams of blood, and 
heard the choking gasp or the piercing shriek of their 
dying innocents, the mothers, awaking from their stupor 
and realizing the extent of the dreadful calamity that a 
cruel prince had inflicted on them, sent up an agonizing 
cry of terror and despair, that well might move even the 
callous minions of King Herod. " Then was fulfilled 
that which was spoken by Jeremias the prophet, saying: 
A voice in Rama was heard, lamentation and great 
mourning: Rachel bewailing her children, and would not 
be comforted, because they are not." (Matt. ii. 17, 18.) 

Consider the sorrow with which the divine Infant is 
penetrated at the death of these innocent victims perse- 
cuted for His sake. Mary, too, felt the greatest com- 
passion for them. In a vision to St. Brigid she once re- 
marked, that to hear of the massacre of the innocents, 



The Holy Family in Egypt. 



killed for the sake of her divine Son, caused her great 
anguish. 

We left the Holy Family entering the land of Egypt. 
Their road led them into the city of Heliopolis, that is, 
the City of the Sun. That city, one of the finest and 
largest in Egypt, contained a Jewish temple and a numer- 
ous Jewish congregation. Among these people of their 
own nationality Joseph and Mary hoped to find shelter 
and protection. But the experiences of Bethlehem were 
repeated here. Reliable tradition informs us that after 
many unsuccessful applications for admittance at inhos- 
pitable doors, the Holy Family found shelter in the ruins 
of an old pagan temple, where they were compelled to 
live for a year and a half. St. Joseph earned a scanty 
subsistence at his trade, and Mary, besides attending to 
her household duties, assisted him to add to their slen- 
der income by doing handsome embroidery for some 
Egyptian ladies, the knowledge of which she had 
acquired during her school days in the Temple at Jerusa- 
lem. By her simple, unassuming manners and her gen- 
tle friendliness, the Blessed Virgin gained the confidence 
of several worthy ladies. They often conversed together 
about the strange signs of the times, about the destruc- 
tion of the idols, the falling of the temples, and the si- 
lence of the oracles. Mary seized upon these opportuni- 
ties to direct the minds of these ladies to the knowledge 
of the one true God, and they were unaccountably and 
irresistibly impelled to truth and virtue. Even some 
pagan priests were brought, by what they heard and saw 
of this remarkable family, to the determination of aban- 



52 



The Holy Family in Egypt. 



doning their idolatrous worship and embracing the true 
religion. 

The Holy Family did not escape persecution during 
their sojourn in Egypt. Many of their heathen neigh- 
bors, given up heart and soul to idolatry, were greatly 
incensed at the poor foreign family, denounced them as 
spies, magicians, restless mischief-makers; in fine, per- 
secuted them to that degree that the Blessed Virgin 
came to the determination to leave Heliopolis and to 
seek a new home elsewhere. 

Accordingly, the Holy Family went to Memphis, the 
ancient capital of the country. But finding no opening 
in the city, they pushed on to a small village called 
Mathaera, or Matarna. There they suffered much for 
want of pure and wholesome water. In her distress the 
Blessed Virgin had recourse to prayer, when, behold, a 
copious supply of water burst forth at her right hand 
from the dry earth, continued to flow, and flows to this 
day. This spring is called "Mary's Well." Even the 
surrounding place became a fertile region. St. Joseph 
exerted himself here, too, to procure a home in which 
they might find shelter till recalled to their own country. 

In their dreary exile in Egypt the Holy Family were 
favored with much consolation from Heaven. Yet, in 
their necessary intercourse with the pagan inhabitants, 
their hearts grew sad as they witnessed the dismal idola- 
try and other cruel and disgusting vices of the Egyptians, 
and they yearned eagerly for a return to their own home. 
At last this happy day dawned. "An angel of the Lord 
appeared in sleep to Joseph in Egypt, saying: Arise, and 



The Holy Family Return to Nazareth. 53 



take the Child and His mother, and go into the land of 
Israel; for they are dead who sought the life of the 
Child.'' (Matt. ii. 20.) Joseph having packed their few 
goods upon the back of their faithful ass, they set out on 
their wearisome but welcome journey. 

At last, after many days of tedious and laborious 
travel, they crossed the confines of Egyptian territory, 
and reached Gaza, the nearest city of Palestine to the 
boundary line. St. Joseph now thought of going to Beth- 
lehem, there to take up his abode with Jesus and Mary. 
" But hearing that Archelaus reigned in Judea in the room 
of Herod his father, he was afraid to go thither; and be- 
ing warned in sleep, retired into the quarters of Galilee. 
And coming, he dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that it 
might be fulfilled which was said by the prophets: That 
He shail be called a Nazarite." (Matt. iii. 22, 23.) 
Who can describe the happiness of these poor pilgrims 
when they were once more permitted, after an absence of 
many years, to look upon their native town and home, 
to enter their own little dwelling, and to receive the 
friendly welcome of kindred and neighbors! 

O Mary, Queen of heaven, I entreat thee by the sor- 
row which thou didst experience on being exiled from 
thy country, and by the joy which thou didst feel on re- 
turning to thy long-deserted home in Nazareth, to obtain 
for me in this earthly exile a never-failing desire to 
reach the home of my Father in heaven. 



CHAPTER VI. 



JESUS, AT TWELVE YEARS, VISITS THE TEMPLE. — HIS HID- 
DEN LIFE AT NAZARETH. 



HREE times a year, at Easter, Pentecost, and on 



1 the Feast of Tabernacles, the Jews were obliged 
to visit the Temple at Jerusalem. The parents of Jesus 
willingly complied with this requirement of the law. 
Jesus did not accompany them on these pilgrimages 
till He was twelve years of age, and then the journey 
brought them a great sorrow and filled their hearts with 
dreadful alarm. 

" And His parents went every year to Jerusalem, at the 
solemn day of the pasch. And when He was twelve 
years old, they going up into Jerusalem according to the 
custom of the feast, and having fulfilled the days, when 
they returned the Child Jesus remained in Jerusalem, and 
His parents knew it not. And thinking that He was in 
the company, they came a day's journey, and sought Him 
among their kinsfolk and acquaintance. And not find- 
ing Him, they returned into Jerusalem, seeking Him. 
And it came to pass, that after three days they found 
Him in the Temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, 
hearing them and asking them questions. And all that 




54 



Jesus Visits the Temple. 



55 



heard Him were astonished at His wisdom and at His 
answers." (Luke ii. 41-47.) 

It was usual for those who attended the festival of the 
Passover, on their return to their respective homes, to 
divide themselves into large parties ; the men and wo- 
men generally travelling in separate bands, while the 
children were permitted to remain with either division. 
Jesus, before beginning the journey, had, with the per- 
mission of His parents, joined some friends and ac- 
quaintances from Galilee, and when the pilgrims were 
setting out, St. Joseph supposed that He was at His 
mother's side in the company of the women, while the 
Blessed Virgin was quite confident that He had joined 
His foster-father, and was therefore on His way home 
with the men. Thus these two holy parents pursued 
their journey, and had but little concern and no anxiety 
in regard to their dear child, till, toward evening of the 
first day, they reached Machmas, a resting-place for car- 
avans, about four leagues north of Jerusalem. How T 
dreadfully alarmed must Joseph and Mary have been 
when, on meeting, they discovered that the Child Jesus 
was not in the company ! They hurried from house to 
house, hoping to find the lost one amongst their fellow- 
travellers. But their search throughout Machmas prov- 
ing fruitless, they lost no time in retracing their steps, 
unattended, in the dead hour of the night, over the dark 
and dreary road back to Jerusalem. Reaching the city 
just at daybreak, they hurried through the streets, they 
searched and inquired everywhere, but in vain. The 
day passed, and the evening found them almost distracted 



56 



Jesus Visits the Temple. 



with grief. The second night and second day were 
equally sad. The morning of the third day dawned, and 
the weary parents were still on their disconsolate errand. 

But where was the Child Jesus during these three days? 
He was in the Temple at Jerusalem. There, in a special 
hall set apart for the teachers of the law, the Child Jesus 
passed most of the time during which His grief-stricken 
parents were looking for Him. Three long and weary 
clays they had passed in their search, and now they enter 
the hall. What a strange spectacle meets their eyes! 
There is their own Child Jesus, sitting in the midst of 
the great and learned doctors, listening to them, ques- 
tioning them, and even instructing them, as if He were 
the most eminent teacher in Israel! As soon as Jesus 
was apprised of His parents' presence, He hastened to 
meet them. Conceive and describe, if you can, the re- 
lief and delight of Mary and Joseph! "And seeing 
Him, they wondered. And His mother said to Him: 
Son, why hast Thou done so to us? Behold Thy father 
and I have sought Thee sorrowing. And He said to 
them: How T is it that you sought Me? Did you not 
know that I must be about My Father's business? And 
they understood not the word that He spoke unto them." 
(Luke ii. 48-50.) 

Is there any shadow of reproach in these words of 
Jesus? Not by any means, for they simply justify His 
own conduct, and contain a lesson. During her quiet 
and retired life in Nazareth the Blessed Virgin had come 
to regard Jesus as her child. True, she never forgot for 
a moment that He was also really and truly the Son of 



The Hidden Life of Jesus. 57 



God, but she did not clearly understand how and when 
He would enter upon and discharge the duties of His 
mission. On this occasion our divine Saviour sought to 
lead His blessed mother's thoughts from His human to 
His divine nature. The God-man must be about His 
Father's business, that is, He must be occupied in the 
service of truth, justice, and holiness, and wherever an 
opportunity occurs of leading separated humanity back 
to the end for which it was created. Hence Jesus said 
to His mother and foster-father: " Do you not know that 
I must be about My Father's business?" 

" And He went down with them, and came to Xaza- 
reth, and was subject to them. And His mother kept all 
these words in her heart." (Luke ii. 51.) Mary com- 
prehended, though not fully and perfectly, the mystery 
contained in the words of her Son. She believed, 
trusted, loved, and adored with ail the powers of her 
soul. 

From His twelfth to His thirtieth year, Jesus dwelt 
with Mary and Joseph in their humble home at Naza- 
reth, advancing " in wisdom and age, and grace with God 
and men.'' (Luke ii. 52.) These few words give us a 
perfect and touching picture of the Holy Family, por- 
traying in simple colors the faithful father, the tender 
mother, and the obedient child: for all three cooperated 
faithfully to this advancement. 

St. Joseph was the head of the Holy Family. Mother 
and son were entrusted to his care and protection. By 
the labor of his hands he was to clothe and feed them, 
guard them against want and danger, and shield them 



58 The Hidden Life of Jesus. 

from evil and misfortune. And how cheerfully did he 
devote every hour of his life to their welfare! He con- 
sidered it an honor and a sacred privilege to be entrusted 
with this duty. While he depended on God's protection 
and assistance, he applied his hands industriously to his 
work, and gave his soul to prayer. Work and prayer, 
both united in love — such is the history of the every-day 
life in the happy home at Xazareth. 

And when his work was done, and the time had arrived 
when Jesus was to enter upon His public mission, St. 
Joseph was taken away from this world. He died in 
the arms of Jesus and Mary. 

The foster-father St. Joseph is the head of the Holy 
Family, but Mary is the heart. And what do we find in 
this heart? St. Luke tells us: "Mary kept all these 
words, pondering them in her heart.'' (Luke ii. 19.) 
But this meditation does not impede her in the discharge 
of her household duties, for Jesus occupies both her 
heart and her hands. " In that household," says the 
devout Louis of Granada, "we find no servants. Mary 
is never idle; she is either at work or at prayer. She 
weaves, spins, sews, cooks the frugal meal, or performs 
the duties of an ordinary servant. She whom the angels 
now serve in heaven never had any one to wait upon her 
while on earth. She is alone: alone in her chamber, 
alone in her workroom, alone in her kitchen, and serves 
others cheerfully and assiduously, so as to resemble as 
much as possible Him who said of Himself: 'The Son 
of man is come to serve, and not to be served.'" 

" And Jesus was subject to them." The King of kings 



The Hidden Life of Jesus. 



59 



lived eighteen years under the lowly roof of His foster- 
father, the Carpenter of Xazareth, and was Himself a 
willing and laborious helper in his work, and a thought- 
ful and obedient servant of His virgin mother. " As 
soon," writes Louis of Granada, " as the growing strength 
of His tender years permitted, Jesus accompanied His 
father to the workshop in order to help him in providing 
the means of their subsistence. When at home He as- 
sisted His blessed mother in her household duties, and 
at all times sought to anticipate every wish of His de- 
voted parents. Yes, Jesus was obedient for eighteen 
years in the solitude of a cottage in a mountain village, 
and He has been obedient for eighteen centuries in the 
solitude of His tabernacle upon our altars." 

From the retired life of the Holv Familv at Xazareth 
we can and should draw the following lesson : Accord- 
ing to the dispositions of divine Providence, the greatest 
proportion of mankind always remains poor, unknown, 
and subject to others. The greater the number of those 
who seek a false independence, honor, and wealth, the 
more frequent are strife and discontent, the more common 
are rebellion and war among nations. The greater the 
number of those who seek to make their lives like the 
life of the Redeemer, and their condition similar to His 
peaceful and contented state, the more certain and safe 
are peace and prosperity. It is not the astute politician, 
nor the successful soldier, nor the famous scholar, nor 
yet the daring speculator who brings happiness to the 
people and true greatness to a nation. It is the peaceful 
and industrious laborer, the busy and intelligent artisan, 



6o 



The Hidden Life of fesus. 



who are the bone and sinew of national life and pros- 
perity. 

Let us, therefore, walk in the footsteps of Our Saviour, 
who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Let us look 
not upon the example of the world, trust not its promises, 
follow not its maxims, for the world disappears, and its 
pleasures perish with it. But whosoever doth the will of 
God shall live for all eternity. 

Inspire me, O Lord, with a true comprehension of the 
sublimity of Thy hidden life, and instil into my heart 
an ardent desire to imitate Thy example, that living hid- 
den in and with Thee on earth, I may come to partici- 
pate in Thy glory in heaven. 



CHAPTER VII. 



THE BAPTISM OF JESUS. HIS FAST IN THE DESERT. 

HIS TEMPTATION. — THE BEGINNING OF HIS PUBLIC MIN- 
ISTRY. 

BEFORE introducing Himself as the Messias, Jesus 
wished to present Himself as the representative of 
fallen man, and as the Lamb of sacrifice bearing our sins. 
He effected this design by humbling Himself, and like a 
sinner subjecting Himself to the baptism of St. John. 
This holy man dwelt in the desert between Jerusalem and 
Jericho. Locusts and wild honey were his food. Lo- 
custs are used as food by the very poor in Arabia; they 
are dried and then cooked or roasted on the fire or in the 
sun. The honey of wild bees is very bitter and unpalat- 
able. From this poor food, and from his dress, consist- 
ing of a rough camel's skin, we may form an idea of St. 
John's penitential life. " And in those days cometh John 
the Baptist preaching in the desert of Judea, and saying : 
Do penance, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. . . . 
Then went out to him Jerusalem and all Judea and all 
the country about Jordan, and were baptized by him in 
the Jordan, confessing their sins." (Matt. iii. 1-6.) 

"Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to the Jordan unto 
John, to be baptized by him. But John stayed Him. 

61 



62 



The Baptism of Jesus, 



saying: I ought to be baptized by Thee, and Thou com- 
est to me? And Jesus answering, said to him: Suffer it 
to be so now: for so it becometh us to fulfil all justice. 
Then he suffered Him. And Jesus being baptized, forth- 
with came out of the water; and lo, the heavens were 
opened to him ; and he saw the Spirit of God descend- 
ing as a dove, and coming upon Him. And behold a 
voice from heaven, saying: This is My beloved Son, in 
whom I am well pleased.'* (Matt. iii. 13-17.) 

According to tradition, it was on New Year's day that 
our divine Redeemer, having taken leave of His beloved 
mother Mary, of His saintly foster-father St. Joseph, and 
of the humble home in Nazareth, set out to enter upon 
His public ministry. He arrived on the sixth day in 
Aenon, on the banks of the Jordan, where John was then 
baptizing. Overpowered with sentiments of awe, love, 
and adoration, the Baptist threw himself at the feet of 
Christ, w 7 hom, by a revelation from heaven, he recognized 
as the Saviour. How overwhelmed with confusion he 
must have been, to see Jesus humble Himself before him 
and asking to be baptized, like any sinner! But Jesus 
knew w r ell w r hat He was doing. In His supreme wisdom 
He had decreed thus to begin His great work before the 
world. For, in the first place, He w 7 anted to show 7 us that 
virtue and sanctity must begin with humility; in the sec- 
ond place, that the Sacrament of Baptism is the opening 
to God's kingdom on earth ; in the third place, that He 
had really and truly assumed the guilt of man, and now 7 
began the work of atonement. By His baptism in Jor- 
dan's waters He wanted to consecrate and sanction, in a 



The Fast and the Temptation. 



63 



specially marked manner, the baptism of the New Law. 
And, as toward the close of His life upon earth, at the 
Last Supper, He made use of the figure of the Old Law to 
establish the thing itself, that is, the paschal feast to or- 
dain the Blessed Eucharist, so now did He wish at the 
beginning of His public life to practically use the figur- 
ative baptism in order to ordain the sacramental Baptism 
of the New Law. 

The wondrous manifestation that took place at Christ's 
baptism is a true and striking picture of redeeming grace. 
He humbled Himself, and was instantly exalted. So 
every man who humbles himself in Christ, the same shall 
be in Christ exalted. The outward act of baptism was 
administered unto Christ, and at the same time the heav- 
ens opened above Him. So does heaven open over every 
man at the moment he worthily receives the outward sign 
of a holy sacrament, whilst an invisible and supernatural 
grace overflows his soul. 

After His baptism Jesus withdrew to the mountainous 
desert, now called Quarantana, there to keep His fast. 
The path leading up to it is very steep, and so narrow 
that two persons cannot walk side by side on it. Toward 
the summit the rocks rise like a wall, and below yawns a 
chasm many hundred feet deep. Here, in a cavern in 
the mountain-side, our blessed Lord observed His fast. 

" Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert, to 
be tempted by the devil. And when He had fasted forty 
days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. And 
the tempter coming said to Him : If Thou be the Son of 
God, command that these stones be made bread. Who 



64 



The Fast and the Temptation. 



answered and said: It is written. Not in bread alone 
doth man live, but in every word that proceedeth from 
the mouth of God. Then the devil took Him up into 
the holy city, and set Him upon the pinnacle of the tem- 
ple, and said to Him: If Thou be the Son of God, cast 
Thyself down. For it is written, that He hath given 
His angels charge over Thee, and in their hands they 
shall bear Thee up, lest perhaps Thou dash Thy foot 
against a stone. Jesus said to him : It is written, again. 
Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. Again the devil 
took Him up into a very high mountain, and showed Him 
all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them, and 
said to Him: All these will I give Thee, if falling down 
Thou wilt adore me. Then Jesus saith to him : Begone, 
Satan, for it is written: The Lord thy God shalt thou 
adore, and Him only shalt thou serve. Then the devil 
left Him, and behold angels came and ministered to 
Him." (Matt. iv. i-ii.) 

Our Lord's withdrawal into the solitude of the desert 
ought to teach us that we, too, when about to take any 
important step in life, or to assume any serious duty, 
should, as far as may be in our power, withdraw from the 
distractions of the world, and seriously prepare ourselves 
in silent retirement and prayer. 

But why did Jesus permit the devil to approach Him 
and present this threefold temptation ? In the first place, 
Our Lord, as the representative of sinful man, washed to 
become like ourselves, taking upon Himself all our mis- 
ery, spiritual and temporal. Secondly, He wished to 
show us by His example that by God's grace we may 



Jesus' Public Ministry. 



65 



quietly, fearlessly, and resolutely, overcome the tempta- 
tions and repel the assaults of the devil. Thirdly, 
Christ, the new Adam, wanted to compensate for the de- 
feat of our first parents by a decisive victory over the 
tempter, the devil. 

From the desert, Jesus returned to the river Jordan. 
The time now being at hand when He was to begin His 
public ministry, He desired that St. John the Baptist, 
who was held in such great esteem by the people, should 
give testimony of Him. Therefore, when "the next day 
John saw Jesus coming to him, he saith : Behold the 
Lamb of God, behold Him who taketh away the sins of 
the world. This is He of whom I said: After me Com- 
eth a Man who is preferred before me, because He was 
before me. And I knew Him not, but that He may be 
made manifest in Israel, therefore am I come baptizing 
with water. ... I saw the Spirit coming down as a clove 
from heaven, and He remained upon Him." (John i. 
29-32.) By these words many were induced to believe 
in Christ, to follow Him, and to hear His doctrine. 
Among these were Andrew and John, who were soon 
joined by Simon, Philip, and Nathaniel. 

With these disciples Christ went to Galilee, because 
it was there that He intended to begin His ministry for 
the salvation of souls. Soon the people flocked to hear 
Him, " and they were astonished at His doctrine, for His 
speech was with power/*' (Luke iv. 32.) He confirmed 
His teaching by miracles, and His fame went throughout 
all the land, and far beyond the confines of the Jewish 
country, so that many persons from the lands beyond the 
5 



66 Jesus' Public Ministry. 



sea came to see and hear Him. Moreover, His picture 
was sent to other countries, so that they who had not the 
privilege of seeing Him personally might have at least 
the satisfaction of looking on Him in effigy. Thus we 
read that Lentulus, a Roman senator, presented a picture 
of Christ to the Senate at Rome, which he accompanied 
with the following letter: 

" To the illustrious Senate of Ronie, Lentulus sends Greet- 
ing : 

" There has appeared, and still lives in our time, a 
man of great virtues, whose name is Jesus Christ, and 
whom the pagans regard as a prophet of truth, whilst His 
disciples call Him the Son of God. He raises the dead 
to life, and heals the sick. His figure is tall, His de- 
meanor commands respect, and His countenance inspires 
veneration, love, and fear. The color of His hair is that 
of ripe hazelnuts, and it falls smoothly over his ears; 
thence it curls, and falls in shining yellow curls over His 
shoulders. It is parted in the middle, according to the 
custom of Nazarites. His forehead is smooth and clear, 
His face without wrinkles or blemish, and moderately 
ruddy ; the nose and mouth are regular. His full beard is, 
in color, similar to His hair. It is parted in the middle, 
and is of the customary length. The man's aspect is ma- 
jestic and austere; His eyes are clear, dark, and penetrat- 
ing. His rebuke is terrible, His conversation mild and 
amiable. His disposition is cheerful, but tempered with 
moderation ; He was never seen laughing, but was often 
beheld weeping. His words are wise, modest, and dis- 



Jesus' Public Ministry, 



6/ 



creet. Never was there seen more comely a man than 
He." 

From this letter of Lentulus we may imagine the 
beauty, grace, and loveliness of Christ's person, and the 
esteem in which He was held. He also received many 
messages and letters, for when the fame of His miracles 
spread over all the world, and, according to St. Matthew, 
was proclaimed also in Syria, a prince of that country, 
Abagarus by name, who was infected with leprosy, wrote 
the following letter to Christ : 

" Abagarus, Prince i?i Pdessa, to the Saviour who appeared 
in the La?id of Jerusalem, Greeting : 

" I received information concerning Thy extraordinary 
powers, and heard that Thou dost heal without the use of 
physic and herbs. It is said that Thou makest the blind 
to see, the lame to walk, and restorest lepers to health; 
that Thou castest out the evil spirits, healest those who 
have been ill a long time, and even recallest the dead to 
life. Now when I heard all these things of Thee, I con- 
sidered that one of two things must be true, viz., either 
Thou art God Himself come down from heaven, or at least 
the Son of God, because Thou performest such extraordi- 
nary miracles. Hence I write to Thee, imploring Thee 
most fervently to come to me and heal me of the malady 
with which I am stricken. For I hear that the Jews ma- 
lignantly oppose Thee, and intend to do Thee great evil. 
My city, it is true, is small, but it is good and beautiful, 
and able to provide for us both." 



68 



Jesus' Public Ministry, 



This letter the prince sent by one of his nobles, whom 
he instructed to use his utmost endeavors to induce 
Christ to accompany him. But if He should refuse to 
come, he was to have His picture painted and bring it 
with him. The messenger, accompanied by a portrait 
painter, started on his journey. Coming to Galilee, he 
found Our Lord preaching to a vast multitude gathered 
on the open plain. He approached Christ, gave Him the 
letter, and urgently invited Him to come with him. 
Having read the letter, Our Lord sent the following re- 
ply: 

"Jesus of Nazareth, to Prince Abagarus, Greeting : 

" Blessed art thou, O Abagarus, for believing in Me 
without having seen Me; because it is written that those 
who see Me shall not believe in Me, but those not hav- 
ing seen Me shall believe in Me and live. But what 
thou dost write to Me of coining to thee cannot be ac- 
complished, because of the work which I was sent to ful- 
fil, and which being fulfilled, I shall return to Him who 
has sent Me. But when I shall have ascended, I shall 
send you one of My disciples, who shall heal thee of thy 
serious illness, and give life to thee and thine." 

Unable to induce Christ to accompany him, the mes- 
senger ordered the artist to paint His picture. Finding- 
it impossible, on account of the multitude surrounding 
Our Lord, to approach near to Him, the painter seated 
himself on a neighboring eminence and applied himself 
to his task. But looking at Christ, he found His coim- 



Jesus' Public Ministry, 69 

tenance so radiantly brilliant with a divine light, that he 
had to avert his eyes, and could not proceed with his 
work. Now Our Lord bade St. Thomas to go and bring 
the painter to Him. St. Thomas did so, and both the 
painter and the prince's messenger came to Him. To 
Christ's inquiry what he had been painting, the artist re- 
plied that his master had commanded him to paint a pic- 
ture of the miracle-working man. Then Christ took 
some water, washed His sacred countenance, and dried 
it on a linen towel. And behold, the face of Our Lord 
appeared so faithfully reproduced upon the towel that it 
looked life-like. This picture He handed to the messen- 
ger, telling him to give it to his master, that the latter 
might be consoled and bear his infirmity with fortitude. 
The astonished messenger received the picture with pro- 
found veneration, returned to his master, and related all 
that had occurred. Then he gave him the letter and the 
sacred picture. The prince devoutly kissed the sacred 
image, and held it ever afterward in the greatest venera- 
tion. Often he would contemplate it, and every time he 
was filled with consolation, and felt relief from the pains 
of his malady. Some years later, after Christ's ascension, 
St. Thaddeus came to Edessa, preached the doctrine of 
Christ, and wrought many miracles. The prince, on hear- 
ing of it, called him. firmly believing that this was the 
man whom Our Lord had promised to send. The face of 
St. Thaddeus, when he entered the prince's apartment, 
shone like the sun, and the prince, reverently prostrate 
before the apostle, said; "Thou art the disciple whom 
Jesus, the Son of God, promised to send to me.'" The 



7o 



Jesus' Public Ministry. 



apostle replied : " Because thou hast placed so great con- 
fidence in Jesus, He sent me to cure thee of thy sickness." 
The prince said : " O holy man of God ! tell me how the 
Lord Jesus came into this world, and by what power He 
performed the miracles which I heard of Him." Then 
Thaddeus explained to him how Christ had been sent by 
His Father, how He had lived upon this earth and was 
cruelly murdered by the Jews. After the prince, with 
tearful eyes, had heard all this, he said: " If the Roman 
empire was not against me, I should gather a great army 
and punish the treacherous Jews." And the prince and 
his city were converted and baptized by Thaddeus, who 
told them that as long as they would venerate the picture 
which Our Lord had sent them their city would never be 
conquered by an enemy. 

The occurrences related above, and similar other ones, 
though not related by the Evangelists, are nevertheless 
attested by ancient and truthful writers, and may there- 
fore be accepted as credible, the more so as St. John, in 
his gospel, expressly declares: " But there are also many 
other things which Jesus did: which if they were written, 
every one, the world itself, I think, would not be able to 
contain the books that should be written." (John xxi. 

*5-) 




Driving the Money Changers from the Temple 



CHAPTER VIII. 



JESUS CALLS THE TWELVE APOSTLES. THE SERMON ON 

THE MOUNT. 

F7 VERY important act in the life of Our Lord was pre- 



L/ ceded by prayer and meditation. " And it came to 
pass in those days, that He went out into a mountain to 
pray, and He passed the whole night in the prayer of 
God. And when day was come, He called unto Him 
His disciples: and He chose twelve of them (whom also 
He named apostles). Simon, whom He surnamed Peter, 
and Andrew his brother, James and John, Philip and 
Bartholomew, Matthew and Thomas, James the son of 
Alpheus, and Simon who is called Zelotes, and Jude the 
brother of James, and Judas Iscariot who was the traitor."' 
("Luke vi. 12-16.) 

The election of the apostles occurred toward the be- 
ginning of the second year of Christ's ministry. By 
their sublime vocation, the apostles became the domestic 
companions and familiar friends of their blessed Lord. 
This gave them an opportunity of conversing more inti- 
mately with Him, and being witnesses not only of His 
public, but also of His private virtues. To them He 
manifested Himself more freely, and explained at large 
those points of doctrine and morality which He commu- 




72 The Sermon on the Mount. 

nicated to the people in parables. Immediately on call- 
ing them, He assembled them about Him and gave them 
particular instructions to prepare them for their work, to 
teach them how to perform it dutifully, and to encour- 
age them to bear with fortitude the persecutions which 
awaited them. 

Shortly after having thus initiated His chosen ones, 
He addressed Himself to all men, giving a summary of 
His whole doctrine in the sublime Sermon on the Mount. 
" And Jesus seeing the multitudes went up into a moun- 
tain, and when He was set down His disciples came unto 
Him. And opening His mouth He taught them, saying: 
Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom 
of heaven. Blessed are the meek : for they shall possess 
the land. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall 
be comforted. Blessed are they that hunger and thirst 
after justice : for they shall have their fill. Blessed are 
the merciful : for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed 
are the clean of heart: for they shall see God. Blessed 
are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the chil- 
dren of God. Blessed are they that suffer persecution 
for justice' sake : for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 
Blessed are ye when they shall revile you, and perse- 
cute you, and speak all that is evil against you for My 
sake : be glad and rejoice, for your reward is very great 
in heaven; for so they persecuted the prophets that were 
before you.'' (Matt. v. 1-12.) 

What a beautiful, heart-winning introduction to His 
sermon! Surely, He who thus speaks can have come 
into the world for no other purpose but to reunite heaven 



The Sermon on the Mount. 



73 



and earth, to restore man to his long-lost happiness. 
Hence Christ's gospel must necessarily be directly op- 
posed to that system of teaching which severed earth from 
heaven. Worldlings praise the rich, the great, the pow- 
erful; but Jesus commends the lowly, the persecuted, the 
tearful poor. Again, it is poverty that Christ hrst rec- 
ommends to all : poverty in spirit, that is, that holy spirit 
of poverty, consisting not so much in possessing nothing, 
but rather in having one's heart detached from earthly 
treasures, and in holding one's soul free from inordinate 
love of worldly goods, and seeking after the imperishable 
wealth of grace, truth, and happiness in Christ. 

Avarice, which is directly opposed to holy poverty, is 
the source of all passionate contentions for the things of 
this world; it is the origin of every evil and misfortune. 
Hence the dreadful language of the divine Master: " But 
woe to you that are rich : for you have your consolation. 
Woe to you that are filled: for you shall hunger. Woe 
to you that now laugh: for you shall mourn and weep. 
Woe to you when men shall bless you: for according to 
these things did their fathers to the false prophets." 
(Luke vi. 24-26.) 

Jesus, now turning from the multitude, directs His 
words to the apostles, whom He had specially appointed 
to heal the moral corruption of the world, to announce 
the glad tidings of salvation, to dispense God's grace in 
the sacraments, and thus become a leaven among men. 
"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt lose its 
savor, wherewith shall it be salted? It is good for noth- 
ing any more but to be cast out, and to be trodden on by 



74 



The Sermon on the Mount. 



men. You are the light of the world. A city seated on 
a mountain cannot be hid; neither do men light a candle 
and put it under a bushel, but upon a candlestick, that 
it may shine to all that are in the house. Let your 
light so shine before men that they may see your good 
works, and glorify your Father, who is in heaven/" 
(Matt. v. 13-16.) 

Whilst admonishing the future prophets and teachers 
of the New Testament, Our Lord adverts to the ancient 
prophets, and to the Old Law especially. This law is not 
to be repealed or destroyed, but rather developed, per- 
fected, and sanctified. " Do not think that I am come to 
destroy the law or the prophets : I am not come to destroy, 
but to fulfil. For amen I say unto you, till heaven and 
earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall not pass of the law 
till all be fulfilled. He therefore that shall break one of 
these least commandments, and shall so teach men, shall 
be called the least in the kingdom of heaven : but he that 
shall do and teach, he shall be called great in the king- 
dom of heaven. For I tell you, that unless your justice 
abound more than that of the scribes and pharisees, you 
shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. " (Matt. v. 
17-20.) 

Jesus here, and in the following passages, which treat 
of forgiveness, of chastity, of truth in speech, of obe- 
dience, and of love of enemies, lays down the fundamen- 
tal principle fully and clearly, that the law is not to be 
abrogated in the new dispensation, but developed, per- 
fected, and sanctified. "You have heard that it was said 
to them of old: Thou shalt not kill: and who shall kill 



The Sermon on the Mount. 



75 



shall be in danger of the judgment. But I say to you: 
that whosoever is angry with his brother, shall be in dan- 
ger of the judgment. And whosoever shall say to his 
brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council. And 
whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of 
hell fire. If therefore thou offer thy gift at the altar, and 
there thou remember that thy brother hath anything 
against thee : leave there thy offering before the altar, 
and go first to be reconciled to thy brother, and then 
coming thou shalt offer thy gift. Be at agreement with 
thy adversary betimes, whilst thou art in the way with 
him: lest perhaps thy adversary deliver thee to the offi- 
cer, and thou be cast into prison. Amen, I say to thee, 
thou shalt not go out from thence till thou repay the last 
farthing." (Matt. v. 21-26.) 

See how Christ gives to the most important relations 
of daily life an entirely new and perfect character, by 
securing to the individual higher honor and more per- 
sonal dignity than were required or secured in the Old 
Law. Even inward dislike, if voluntary, will be punished ; 
and the expressions of anger, hatred, and envy will re- 
ceive castigation according to their degree of intensity. 

" You have heard that it was said to them of old : Thou 
shalt not commit adulterv. But I sav to you: that who- 
soever shall look on a woman to lust after her, hath al- 
ready committed adultery with her in his heart. And if 
thy right eye scandalize thee, pluck it out and cast it 
from thee : for it is expedient for thee that one of thy 
members should perish, rather than thy whole body be 
cast into hell. And if thy right hand scandalize thee, 



7 6 



The Sermon on the Mount. 



cut it off and cast it from thee : for it is expedient for thee 
that one of thy members should perish, rather than thy 
whole body be cast into hell. And it hath been said: 
Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a 
bill of divorce. But I say to you, that whosoever shall 
put away his wife, excepting the cause of fornication, 
maketh her to commit adultery; and he that shall marry 
her that is put away, committeth adultery." (Matt. v. 
27-32.) 

Here our divine Saviour re-establishes and sanctifies 
the family in its very foundation, namely, in holy matri- 
mony and in matrimonial fidelity. Henceforth lawful 
marriage is to be indissoluble. No power, whether tem- 
poral or spiritual, can ever again dissolve a properly 
contracted marriage. For all future time married people 
are to understand that they are bound under pain of griev- 
ous sin strictly to observe matrimonial fidelity, not 
only in act, but in word, thought, and look. They must 
be prepared to make heavy sacrifices, if necessary, in 
order to avoid the occasion of even an unbecoming 
thought or word. In this sense is to be taken Our Sav- 
iour's expression to pluck out an eye, etc., viz., that we 
should be prepared to make the most severe sacrifices in 
order to avoid the occasions of sin. 

" Again, you have heard that it was said to them of 
old : Thou shalt not forswear thyself : but thou shalt per- 
form thy oaths to the Lord. But I say to you not to 
swear at all, neither by heaven, for it is the throne of 
God; nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Je- 
rusalem, for it is the city of the great King: neither shalt 



The Sermon on the Mount. 



77 



thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one 
hair white or black. But let your speech be: yea, yea: 
no, no: and that which is over and above these, is of 
evil. 7 ' (Matt. v. 33~37-) 

In these edifying and instructive passages of the Ser- 
mon on the Mount Our Lord elevates and sanctifies bus- 
iness relations between man and man, by extolling and 
enjoining mutual honesty and confidence between them, 
to such a laudable and happy extent that the words yes 
and no may be sufficient, and all oaths unnecessary. 
But, in view of human imperfection, neither the judi- 
cial oath nor any just oath is forbidden in case of neces- 
sity, and in the cause of truth. 

"You have heard that it has been said: An eye for 
an eye, and a tooth for a tooth. But I say to you not to 
resist evil : but if one strike thee on thy right cheek, turn 
to him also the other; and if a man will contend with 
thee in judgment, and take away thy coat, let go thy 
cloak also unto him. And whosoever will force thee one 
mile, go with him other two. Give to him that asketh of 
thee: and from him that would borrow of thee turn not 
away. You have heard that it has been said : Thou shalt 
love thy neighbor, and hate thy enemy. But I say to you : 
Love your enemies, do good to them that hate you, and 
pray for them that persecute and calumniate you: that 
you may be the children of your Father who is in heav- 
en : who maketh His sun to rise upon the good and bad, 
and raineth upon the just and the unjust. For if you 
love them that love you, what reward shall you have? 
Do not even the publicans this? And if you salute your 



78 



The Sermon on the Mount. 



brethren only, what do you more? Do not also the 
heathens this? Be you therefore perfect, as also your 
heavenly Father is perfect." (Matt. v. 38-48.) 

In the above words our blessed Saviour first sanctifies 
Christian government, or society, by elevating, purifying, 
and perfecting strict justice, which is its very corner- 
stone, and by inculcating upon His followers sometimes 
to forego their rights for the sake of peace, especially in 
affairs of minor importance, when such concession will 
not, to any grave extent, injure themselves or those de- 
pending upon them. Then He teaches us that our char- 
ity must comprise all men, even our enemies, if we would 
merit supernatural reward. If men would only adhere 
to the observance of these principles, how secure the in- 
dividual would be, how united the family, how plain and 
easy every kind of business, how peaceful the common- 
wealth, how happy the whole human family in its every 
relation! All those irritating questions which divide 
men into hostile camps, wasting their energies in useless 
and pernicious strife, would be settled at once and for- 
ever. 

Ks Our divine Teacher now passes on to the three prin- 
cipal works of Christian charity, namely, almsgiving, 
prayer, and fasting. He warns us, first of all, that these 
three works have value before God, and merit the king- 
dom of heaven only when they are done, not to elicit the 
praise of men, but for the love of God and with the hope 
of divine reward. For the foundation of all real good is 
a disinterested motive, or purity of intention. 

"Take heed that you do not your justice before men, 



The Sermon on the Mount 



79 



to be seen by them; otherwise you shall not have a re- 
ward of your Father who is in heaven. Therefore, when 
thou dost an alms-deed, sound not a trumpet before thee, 
as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, 
that they may be honored by men : Amen I say to you, 
they have received their reward. But when thou dost 
alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand 
doth : that thy alms may be in secret, and thy Father, 
who seeth in secret, will repay thee." (Matt. vi. 1-4.) 

This reward will be given not only on the last day, 
when, according to St. Paul, "the Lord will bring to 
light whatever is hidden in darkness, and lay open the 
secrets of our hearts, and everv man will receive his re- 
ward from God." (1 Cor. iv. 5.) Even in this life the 
Lord will bless your almsgiving and return it a thou- 
sandfold in blessings to your soul and body. Almsgiv- 
ing is an investment in the heavenly treasury, w 7 hich will 
pay heavy interest. Give privately and secretly; al- 
though it may sometimes be advisable to perform your 
acts of generosity publicly, in order to stimulate the 
charity of others. 

" And when ye pray, you shall not be as the hypocrites, 
that love to stand and pray in the synagogues and corners 
of the streets, that they may be seen by men : Amen I 
say to you, they have received their reward. But thou 
when thou shalt pray, enter into thy chamber, and having 
shut the door, pray to thy Father in secret; and thy 
Father who seeth in secret will repay thee. And when 
you are praying, speak not much, as the heathens; for 
they think that in their much-speaking they may be 



8o 



The Sermon on the Mount. 



heard. Be not therefore like to them; for your Father 
knoweth what is needful for you, before you ask Him. 
Thus, therefore, shall you pray : Our Father, who art in 
heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come, 
Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us 
this day our supersubstantial bread. And forgive us our 
debts, as we also forgive our debtors. And lead us not 
into temptation. But deliver us from evil. Amen. For 
if you will forgive men their offences, your heavenly 
Father will forgive you also your offences. But if you 
will not forgive men, neither will your Father forgive you 
your offences." (Matt. vi. 5-15.) 

Our good and merciful Redeemer has given us a glo- 
rious prayer; a prayer of touching simplicity and deepest 
meaning. " Our Father," holy Creator, Redeemer, and 
Comforter, common Father of all men, who thus become 
my brethren. "Who art in heaven" with the angels and 
saints, whom Thou dost enlighten to a knowledge of Thy 
perfections, and inflamest with love for Thy infinite 
beauty, and fillest with ineffable happiness. " Hallowed 
be Thy name."' May our senses and our intellects be so 
enlightened that we may every day learn more and more 
the extent of Thy goodness, the vastness of Thy promises, 
the splendor of Thy majesty, and the depths of Thy jus- 
tice, and with this knowledge praise Thy glory. " Thy 
kingdom come," that Thou mayest reign, through truth 
and grace, in our hearts here below, and one day lead us 
up to Thy heavenly kingdom, where we shall see Thee 
face to face, love Thee with perfect love, and enjoy Thee 
in eternal happiness, "Thy will be done on earth as it 



The Sermon on the Mount. 



8 1 



is in heaven;" that is, may we bow down humbly and 
confidingly before the unfathomable decrees of Thy wis- 
dom, thanking Thee for adversity as well as prosperity, 
and loving Thee with all our strength and our neighbor 
as ourselves. " Give us this day our supersubstantial 
bread:" all that may be necessary for both bodily and 
spiritual life and for the fulfilment of our duties. " For- 
give us our debts " through Thy own mercies, and through 
the infinite merits of the passion and death of Our Lord 
Jesus Christ, and by the intercession of the ever-blessed 
Virgin Mary and the other saints, " as we forgive our 
debtors " who trespass against us. And as of ourselves 
and by our own strength we are not able fully to forgive 
our enemies, grant us strength to love them, to pray for 
them, and to do good to them, for Thy sake. " Lead us 
not into temptation;' 5 enable us to recognize the enemies 
of our salvation, to discover their artifices, and manfully 
and successfully to resist them, so that neither tem- 
poral nor spiritual adversity may overtake us. " But de- 
liver us from evil," past, present, and future sorrow and 
misery. u Amen.' 7 So may it be done by Thy grace, so 
may I persevere in faith, hope, and love. 

Although our blessed Saviour advises us to recite this 
and other similar prayers in the privacy of our rooms, 
we must not therefore conclude that He does not require 
us to be present at and to participate in public worship. 
We must do the one and not neglect the other: and we 
must do both in a proper spirit and with true sincerity: 
not simply outwardly and with the lips only, but inte- 
riorly and with a vivid consciousness of God's sacred 
6 



82 



The Sermon on the Mount. 



presence. Hence Christ warns us not to depend upon 
a multiplication of too many words when at our devo- 
tions. It is only when animated with the spirit of holy 
reverence, childlike love, and unrestricted confidence 
that our prayers have any value. 

" And when you fast, be not as hypocrites, sad ; for 
they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men 
to fast. Amen I say to you, they have received their re- 
ward. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thy head, 
and wash thy face, that thou appear not to men to fast, 
but to thy Father who is in secret : and thv Father who 
seeth in secret will repay thee."' The Jews chiefly 
sought to please the eyes of men, who judge by what they 
see; the followers of Christ must seek to please the eyes 
of God, who regards the heart. 

" Lay not up to yourselves treasures on earth : where 
the rust and moth consume, and where thieves break 
through and steal. But lay up to yourselves treasures in 
heaven: where neither the rust nor moth doth consume, 
and where thieves do not break through nor steal. For 
where thy treasure is, there is thy heart also." (Matt, 
vi. 19-21.) Again, Our Lord reverts to poverty in spirit, 
to detachment from the transitory goods of this world, to 
which men so tenaciously incline. He warns us ear- 
nestly of concupiscence of the eyes, that is, of the inordi- 
nate desire of possessing earthly things. 

"The light of thy body is thy eye. If thy eye be sin- 
gle, thy whole body shall be lightsome. But if thy eye 
be evil, thy whole body shall be darksome. If, then, the 
light that is in thee be darkness, the darkness itself, how 



The Sermon on the Mount. 



83 



great shall it be ? No man can serve two masters: for 
either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will 
sustain the one and despise the other. You cannot serve 
God and mammon. Therefore I say to you, be not solic- 
itous for your life, what you shall eat, nor for your body, 
what you shall put on. Is not the life more than the 
meat, and the body more than the raiment? Behold the 
birds of the air, for they neither sow, nor do they reap, 
nor gather into barns : and your heavenly Father feedeth 
them. Are you not of much more value than they ? And 
which of you, by taking thought, can add to his stature 
one cubit? And for raiment, why are you solicitous? 
Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow : they labor 
not, neither do they spin. But I say to you, that not even 
Solomon in all his glory was arrayed as one of these. 
And if the grass of the field, which is to-day, and to- 
morrow is cast into the oven, God doth so clothe : how 
much more you, O ye of little faith? Be not solicitous 
therefore, saying: What shall we eat, or what shall we 
drink, or wherewith shall we be clothed? For after all 
these things do the heathens seek. For your Father 
knoweth that you have need of all these things. Seek ye 
therefore first the kingdom of God and His justice: and 
all these things shall be added unto you. Be not there- 
fore solicitous for to-morrow. For the morrow will be 
solicitous for itself; sufficient for the day is the evil 
thereof." (Matt. vi. 22-34). 

Not less dear to the heart of our blessed Lord than 
poverty of spirit and childlike dependence and confidence 
in God, are the virtues of humility, charity, and concord 



8 4 



The Sermon on the Mount. 



and peace among His followers. Hence He warns us 
most emphatically and impressively against the loss of 
this spirit of charity, a loss that most frequently results 
from our own self-sufficiency, arrogance, and disposition 
to judge our fellow-men rashly and hastily. 

"Judge not, that you may not be judged. For with 
what judgment you judge you shall be judged, and with 
what measure you mete it shall be measured to you again. 
And why seest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, 
and seest not the beam that is in thy own eye? Or how 
sayest thou to thy brother: Let me cast the mote out of 
thy eye: and behold a beam is in thy own eye? Thou 
hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thy own eye, and 
then shalt thou see to cast out the mote out of thy broth- 
er's eye. Give not that which is holy to the dogs ; neither 
cast ye your pearls before swine, lest perhaps they tram- 
ple them under their feet, and turning upon you, they tear 
you. Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall 
find; knock, and it shall be opened to you. For every 
one that asketh, receiveth; and he that seeketh, findeth; 
and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened. Or what 
man is there among you, of whom if his son shall ask 
bread, will he reach him a stone? Or if he shall ask 
him a fish, will he reach him a serpent? If you then, 
being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children : 
how much more will your Father who is in heaven give 
good things to them that ask Him? All things therefore 
whatsoever you would that men should do to you, do you 
also to them. For this is the law and the prophets. 
Enter ye in at the narrow gate : for wide is the gate and 



The Sermon on the Mount. 



85 



broad the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there 
are who go in thereat. How narrow is the gate and strait 
the way that leadeth to life : and few there are that find 
it!" (Matt. vii. 1-14.) 

This doctrine of the narrow gate does not suit the 
worldly-minded man, who affects to disbelieve the teach- 
ings of Christ concerning the difficulties of the road which 
leads to heaven. Such persons would fain obtain the 
happiness of heaven, but meanwhile wish to be at liberty 
to gratify, here on earth, every inclination of their cor- 
rupt hearts. Alas! what is still more to be deplored, is 
the fact that there are never wanting teachers who are al- 
ways ready to flatter these notions: they are false proph- 
ets, whose words lead to perdition. Our Lord warns us 
against them, saying: 

" Beware of false prophets, who come to you in the 
clothing of sheep, but inwardly they are ravening wolves : 
by their fruits you shall know them. Do men gather 
grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles ? Even so every good 
tree bringeth forth good fruit, and the evil tree bringeth 
forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil 
fruit: neither can an evil tree bring forth good fruit. 
Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit, shall be cut 
down, and shall be cast into the fire. Wherefore by their 
fruits you shall know them. Not every one that saith to 
Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven : 
but he that doth the will of My Father who is in heaven, 
he shall enter into the kingdom of heaven. Many will 
say to Me in that day : Lord, Lord, have we not prophe- 
sied in Thy name, and cast out devils in Thy name, and 



86 



The Sermon on the Mount, 



done many miracles in Thy name? And then I will pro- 
fess unto them : I never knew you : depart from Me, you 
that work iniquity. Every one therefore that heareth 
these My words, and doth them, shall be likened to a 
wise man, that built his house upon a rock. And the 
rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew-, and 
they beat upon that house, and it fell not; for it w r as 
founded on a rock. And every one that heareth these 
My words, and doth them not, shall be like a foolish 
man, that built his house upon the sand. And the rain 
fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and they 
beat upon that house, and it fell, and great was the fall 
thereof. J? (Matt. vii. 15-27.) 

This beautiful parable terminates the Sermon on the 
Mount. It is a parable full of meaning for each and all 
of us. Every one amongst us is trying to build up his 
fortune. But how differentlv men build! Some found 
their happiness upon sensual gratification, or on wealth, 
or on honor and prominence among their fellow-men. 
A few years pass by, violent storms arise, and behold, 
their temple of happiness totters, falls, and crumbles into 
ruins. Others, more wise, found their happiness on the 
word of God and the observance of His holy law. Their 
building goes up quietly and slowly, but surely and per- 
manently. The storms come — the storms of sickness, 
old age, or misfortune, and finally of death : but a happi- 
ness built upon virtue is solid and durable, and outlasts 
these assaults. It is founded on a rock. " And the rock 
was Christ." (1 Cor. x. 4.) 

"And it came to pass, when Jesus had fully ended 



The Sermon on the Mount. 



87 



these words, the people were in admiration at His doc- 
trine. For He was teaching them as one having power, 
and not as the scribes and pharisees/' (Matt. vii. 
28, 29.) 

O profound, admirable Teacher! On my knees I 
thank Thee for Thy ever}- word. I accept Thy doctrine 
with childlike faith, and will believe therein firmly in 
joy and sorrow, now and at the hour of my death. For 
Thine are the words of eternal life for all men of good- 
will. Let them sink ever deeper and deeper into my 
heart. Let their divine power penetrate my whole being. 
Let them become practical by a gentle sympathy and true 
charity, by a valiant and steadfast self-denial, and in the 
innocence of my life. 



CHAPTER IX. 



THE PARABLES OF JESUS. 

OUR blessed Saviour chose to convey His instruc- 
tions chiefly in parables and figures, according to 
the usage and style of Eastern countries. Amongst other 
parables, He proposed the following: 

Parable of the Sower. 

" Behold the sower went forth to sow. And whilst he 
soweth, some fell by the wayside, and the birds of the 
air came and ate them up. And other some fell upon 
stony ground, where they had not much earth : and thev 
sprang up immediately, because they had no deepness of 
earth. And when the sun was up, they were scorched : 
and because thev had not root, thev withered away. And 
others fell among thorns: and the thorns grew up and 
choked them. And others fell upon good ground: and 
they brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some 
sixty fold, and some thirtyfold. He that hath ears to 
hear, let him hear." (Matt. xiii. 3-9.) 

In the explanation of the parable, which He gave 
afterward to His apostles in private, our blessed Sa- 
viour says that the seed is the word of God. and that they 
by the wayside are the hearers who forget the word al- 

88 



The Parables of Jesus, 



89 



most as soon as they have heard it. For the devil comes 
immediately, and either by his own wicked suggestions 
or by his agents, as so many fowls of the air, takes away 
the seed of salvation from their hearts, lest it should 
there quicken their faith and produce fruits of eternal 
life. In the second part of the parable the seed is said 
to fall upon a rock, where, meeting with no depth of soil, 
it is burned up by the sun almost as soon as it begins to 
spring. And these are they, says Christ, who at first 
seem pleased with the word of God, but having no great 
fund of goodness, forget it in time of trial, and recoil at 
the approach of temptation. Such persons are very apt 
to deceive themselves, and their illusion is this: the 
pleasure which they seem to find in receiving the word 
of God makes them fancy that they want nothing more 
to produce the fruit of godliness in their souls: little 
thinking that a heart which is not softened by compunc- 
tion, and improved by works of piety, is incapable of 
producing any lasting good. The third part of the par- 
able is that in which the seed is said to have fallen 
among thorns : the thorns grew up and choked it. Such 
is the misfortune of those, says Our Lord, whose thoughts 
are taken up with the concerns of this world. They in- 
deed hear the word of God; but the cares of life, their 
restless desires, and worldly pursuits stifle the growth of 
virtue in their souls and prevent its fruit. On a heart 
thus entangled and perplexed the sacred word of God, 
whether written or delivered by His ministers, has but 
little or no effect. The fourth and last part of the par- 
able marks the different products of that part of the seed 



go 



The Parables of Jesus. 



which fell upon good ground. In some the increase was 
a hundred grains for one; in some it was sixty; in 
others only thirty. Such are the different degrees of 
goodness which the word of God produces in the hearts 
of the faithful, according to the disposition with which 
it is received. 

"And His disciples came and said to Him; Why 
speakest Thou to them in parables? Who answered and 
said to them : Because to you it is given to know the 
mysteries of the kingdom of heaven : but to them it is 
not given." (Matt. xiii. 10, n.) 

The Good Samaritan. 

"And behold a certain lawyer stood up, tempting Him 
and saying : Master, what must I do to possess eternal 
life? But He said to him: What is written in the law? 
how readest thou? He answering, said: Thou shalt love 
the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with thy 
whole soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy 
mind : and thy neighbor as thyself. And He said to 
him : Thou hast answered right : this do, and thou shalt 
live. But he, willing to justify himself, said to Jesus: 
And who is my neighbor? And Jesus answering, said: 
A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and 
fell among robbers, who also stripped him: and having 
wounded him went away leaving him half dead. And 
it chanced that a certain priest went down the same way : 
and seeing him, passed by. In like manner also a 
Levite, when he was near the' place and saw him, passed 
by. But a certain Samaritan being on his journey, came 



The Parables of Jesus, 



9i 



near him : and seeing him was moved -with compassion. 
And going up to him, bound up his wounds, pouring in 
oil and wine: and setting him upon his own beast 
brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And the 
next day he took out two pence and gave to the host, and 
said : Take care of him : and whatsoever thou shalt spend 
over and above, I at my return will repay thee. Which 
of these three in thy opinion was neighbor to him that 
fell among the robbers? But he said: He that showed 
mercy to him. And Jesus said to him : Go, and do thou 
likewise." (Luke x. 25-37.) 

From this parable Christ intends us to learn that true 
charity excludes no man in distress. No matter what 
his country may be, or what his profession in life, he is 
created according to the image of God, he is redeemed 
by the blood of Christ, and his present necessity claims 
a right to our assistance, if we are able to give it. The 
opportunity of doing good is never to be neglected; a 
work of mercy well timed is doubly acceptable both to 
God and man. 

The Folly of Riches. 

" And He said to them : Take heed and beware of all 
covetousness : for a man's life does not consist in the 
abundance of things which he possesseth. And He spoke 
a similitude to them, saying: The land of a certain rich 
man brought forth plenty of fruits. And he thought 
within himself: What shall I do, because I have no 
room to bestow my fruits? And he said: This will I 
do. I will pull down my barns, and will build greater: 



92 



The Parables of Jesus. 



and into them will I gather all things that are grown to 
me, and my goods. And I will say to my soul : Soul, 
thou hast much goods laid up for many years : take thy 
rest, eat, drink, make good cheer. But God said to him : 
Thou fool, this night do they require thy soul of thee: 
and whose shall those things be which thou hast pro- 
vided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and 
is not rich toward God." (Luke xii. 15-21.) 

In this parable Our Saviour shows what a folly it is to 
place our happiness in the enjoyment of worldly wealth. 
Riches, that may be lost at any hour, and must be parted 
with in death, cannot make a Christian happy; they may 
flatter his senses for a while, but they cannot satiate the 
cravings of an immortal soul. The rich man is styled a 
fool by our blessed Saviour, not because he had acquired 
his riches by undue methods, but because he flattered 
himself with the thought of enjoying them for many 
years, little thinking that death was to snatch him from 
them that very night. If Christians did but oftener re- 
flect upon the moment which sooner or later must sep- 
arate them from all their worldly connections, they would 
learn to turn their thoughts toward Heaven, and to fix 
their desires on those eternal riches which nothing can 
take away. 

The Prodigal Son. 

" A certain man had two sons. And the younger of 
them said to his father: Father, give me the portion of 
substance that falleth to me. And he divided unto them 
his substance. And not many days after, the younger 



The Parables of Jesus. 



93 



son gathering all together, went abroad into a far coun- 
try, and there wasted his substance living riotously. 
And after he had spent all, there came a mighty famine 
in that country, and he began to be in want. And he 
went and cleaved to one of the citizens of that country. 
And he sent him into his farm to feed swine. And he 
would fain have filled his belly with the husks the swine 
did eat; and no man gave unto him. And returning to 
himself, he said : How many hired servants in my father's 
house abound with bread, and I perish with hunger? I 
will arise and will go to my father, and say to him: 
Father, I have sinned against Heaven and before thee : I 
am not worthv to be called thy son : make me as one of 
thy hired servants. And rising up he came to his father. 
And when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, 
and was moved with compassion, and running to him fell 
upon his neck and kissed him. And the son said to 
him : Father, I have sinned against Heaven and before 
thee, I am not now worthy to be called thy son. And 
the father said to his servants : Bring forth quickly the 
first robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, 
and shoes on his feet: and bring hither the fatted calf, 
and kill it, and let us eat and make merry : because this 
my son was dead, and is come to life again ; was lost, 
and is found. And they began to be merry. Now his 
elder son was in the field, and when he came and drew 
nigh to the house, he heard music and dancing; and he 
called one of the servants, and asked what these things 
meant. And he said to him: Thy brother is come, and 
thy father has killed the fatted calf, because he hath re- 



94 



The Parables of Jesus. 



ceived him safe. And he was angry and would not go in. 
His father therefore coming out, began to entreat him. 
And he answering, said to his father: Behold for so 
many years do I serve thee, and I have never trans- 
gressed thy commandment, and yet thou hast never given 
me a kid to make merry with my friends. But as soon 
as this thy son is come, who hath devoured his substance 
with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf. 
But he said to him : Son, thou art always with me, and 
all I have is thine: but it was fit that we should make 
merry and be glad, for this thy brother was dead, and is 
come to life again : he was lost, and is found." (Luke 
xv. n-32.) 

The holy Fathers say that this parable is so fully ex- 
pressive of the lesson it is meant to convey that nothing 
more can be added to it. The wretchedness that follows 
an abandoned sinner, and the satisfaction that accom- 
panies a true penitent, are fully displayed. The unfor- 
tunate young man no sooner became sensible of the 
miserable state he was in than he resolved to quit it. 
He repented and returned to his father with a firm pur- 
pose never to stray from him any more. If we repent, 
like the prodigal son, for having left our Father's house, 
we shall, like him, be restored to our former state of 
grace and friendship with God. 

The Rich Glutton. 

" There was a certain rich man, who was clothed in 
purple and fine linen, and feasted sumptuously every 
day. And there w r as a certain beggar named Lazarus, 



Christ Raises the Daughter of Jairus 



The Parables of fesus. 95 

who lay at his gate, full of sores, desiring to be filled 
with the crumbs that fell from the rich man's table, and 
no one did give him : moreover the dogs came and licked 
his sores. And it came to pass that the beggar died and 
was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom. And 
the rich man also died: and he was buried in hell. And 
lifting up his eyes, when he was in torments, he saw 
Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom : and he 
cried and said: Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and 
send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in 
water to cool my tongue, for I am tormented in this 
flame. And Abraham said to him : Son, remember that 
thou didst receive good things in thy lifetime, and like- 
wise Lazarus evil things : but now he is comforted, and 
thou art tormented ; and besides all this, between us and 
you there is fixed a great chaos : so that they who would 
pass from hence to you, cannot, nor from thence come 
hither. And he said: Then, father, I beseech thee, that 
thou wouldst send him to my father's house; for I have 
five brethren, that he may testify unto them, lest they 
also come into this place of torments. And Abraham 
said to him : They have Moses and the prophets : let 
them hear them. But he said : No, Father Abraham ; 
but if one went to them from the dead, they will do pen- 
ance. And he said to him : If they hear not Moses and 
the prophets, neither will they believe if one rise again 
from the dead." (Luke xvi. 19-31.) 

In this parable Our Saviour points out the two opposite 
conditions to which a different use of God's creatures 
leads the different classes of mankind. By a mistaken 



9 6 



The Parables of Jesus. 



world, afflictions are styled the evils of life, though, to 
the humble Christian, they pave the way toward endless 
happiness ; while riches are esteemed a blessing, though 
so dangerously connected with real misery. The suffer- 
ings of Lazarus were short ; the joy that succeeded was 
eternal. The momentary pleasures of the rich man were 
but the prelude to everlasting torments. After death he 
found as little pity from Abraham as Lazarus in life had 
found from him. The time of mercy was then no more. 
Happy are the suffering poor if they are only careful to 
use the advantages which their humble station gives 
them for their improvement in virtue. Unhappy are the 
rich if they make not a Christian use of what they have 
received. To comfort the distressed, and to help the 
needy, is the privilege of being rich; and happy they 
who so use their wealth. The way to draw upon them- 
selves the compassion of their heavenly Father is to 
show compassion to their poor brethren. 

The Pharisee and the Publican. 

" Two men went up into the temple to pray : the one 
a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee 
standing prayed thus with himself: O God, I give thee 
thanks that I am not as the rest of men, extortioners, 
unjust, adulterers: as also is this publican. I fast twice 
in a week : I give tithes of all that I possess. And the 
publican standing afar off would not so much as lift his 
eyes tow r ard heaven; but struck his breast saying: O 
God, be merciful to me, a sinner. I say to you this man 
went down into his house justified rather than the other, 



The Parables of Jesus, 



97 



because every one that exalteth himself shall be hum- 
bled: and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted." 
(Luke xviii. 10-14.) 

The lesson which Jesus inculcates by this parable is: 
Humility is the foundation of Christian piety. Without 
humility every other virtue is mere show, a glittering ap- 
pearance of something good, without the reality. A 
prayer dictated by pride became a sin in the Pharisee; 
prayer united with an humble contrition of heart justi- 
fied the publican. 

The Laborers in the Vineyard. 

"The kingdom of heaven is like to an householder 
who went out early in the morning to hire laborers into 
his vineyard. And having agreed with the laborers for 
a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And 
going out about the third hour, he saw others standing in 
the market-place idle. And he said to them : Go you 
also into my vineyard, and I will give you what shall be 
just. And they went their way. And again he went out 
about the sixth and the ninth hour: and did in like 
manner. But about the eleventh hour he went out and 
found others standing, and he saith to them : Why stand 
you here all day idle? They say to him : Because no 
one hath hired us. He saith to them : Go you also into 
my vineyard. And when evening was come, the lord of 
the vineyard saith to his steward: Call the laborers and 
pay them their hire, beginning from the last even to the 
first. When therefore they were come that came about 
the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny. 
7 



98 



The Parables of Jesus. 



But when the first also came, they thought that they 
should receive more : and they also received every man a 
penny. And receiving it they murmured against the 
master of the house, saying: These last have worked but 
one hour, and thou hast made them equal to us, that have 
borne the burden of the day and the heat. But he an- 
swering saith to one of them : Friend, I do thee no wrong; 
didst thou not agree with me for a penny? Take what 
is thine, and go thy way : I will also give to this last 
even as to thee. Or, is it not lawful for me to do what 
I will? Is thy eye evil, because I am good? So shall 
the last be first and the first last; for many are called, 
but few chosen/' (Matt. xx. 1-16.) 

From this parable the holy Fathers take occasion to 
exhort all Christians to shun idleness as displeasing to 
God, and to labor diligently in the affair of salvation. 
Men are born and called to labor in the service of God, 
each one according to his state and vocation. Let each 
one be diligent in performing the part of the task which 
is allotted him, and he will receive his due recompense; 
for God will give to every one according to his works. 
However unequally the goods of fortune may seem to be 
divided here, we are not to murmur against the disposi- 
tions of Providence ; it is not for this world we have 
been created, nor is it in this world that we are to expect 
our reward. The reward is in the next life, and is given 
only when merited in this. 



CHAPTER X. 



THE MIRACLES OF JESUS. 



HO can tell the number of Christ's miracles? 



heavenly bodies, in men, in the senseless beasts of the 
field. He summoned angels to wait upon Him, expelled 
devils, darkened the sun, stayed the storm, calmed the 
angry billows, changed water into wine, converted sin- 
ners, opened the grave and called the dead to life. In 
every department of nature and in every species of crea- 
ture Jesus displayed His miraculous power. 

We select a few of the miracles related in the Gospels 
for the edification of the pious reader. 



"There was a marriage in Cana of Galilee: and the 
Mother of Jesus was there. And Jesus also was invited 
and His disciples to the marriage. And the wine fail- 
ing, the Mother of Jesus saith to Him : They have no 
wine. And Jesus saith to her : Woman, what is to Me 
and to thee? My hour is not yet come. His Mother 
saith to the waiters: Whatsoever He shall say to you, do 
ye. Now there were set there six water-pots of stone, 
according to the manner of the purifying of the Jews, 




He wrought them in the spirit-world, in the 



Jesus Changes Water into Wine. 



99 



IOO 



The Miracles of Jesus. 



containing two or three measures apiece. Jesus saith to 
them : Fill the water-pots with water. And they filled 
them up to the brim. And Jesus saith to them : Draw 
out now, and carry to the chief steward of the feast. 
And they carried it. And when the chief steward had 
tasted the water made wine, and knew not whence it was, 
but the waiters knew who had drawn the water: the chief 
steward calleth the bridegroom and saith to him : Every 
man at first setteth forth good wine ; and when men have 
well drank, then that which is worse : but thou hast kept 
the good wine until now. This beginning of miracles 
did Jesus in Cana of Galilee: and manifested His glory, 
and His disciples believed in Him." (John ii. i-ii.) 

Here we may learn the following lessons : First, that 
Our Saviour does not condemn innocent enjoyment, but 
rather that He sanctions and sanctifies it by His pres- 
ence. Secondly, we are reminded that Our Lord should 
be invited to all our recreations; that is, all our pleas- 
ures should be referred to Him, enjoyed in His spirit, 
and that charity and Christian dignity should not be lost 
sight of in our various amusements. Thirdly, we learn 
that Our Lord highly honored marriage by being present 
at this festival and working there His first miracle. 
We are taught also that newly-married people should not 
neglect to invite our blessed Lord to their nuptials, that 
is, they should marry in His name according to the rules 
of His Church, and invoke His blessing upon their new 
state of life. Lastly, we discover that the Blessed Vir- 
gin is a true, powerful, and compassionate intercessor for 
men in their sufferings and wants, and that we should 



The Miracles of Jesus. 



101 



have recourse to her, not only in times of spiritual afflic- 
tion, but even in temporal needs and distress. 

The Storm Appeased. 

" And behold a great tempest arose in the sea, so that 
the boat was covered with waves, but He was asleep. 
And His disciples came to Him, and awaked Him, say- 
ing: Lord, save us, we perish. And Jesus saith to 
them : Why are you fearful, O ye of little faith ? Then 
rising up He commanded the winds, and the sea, and 
there came a great calm. But the men wondered, say- 
ing: What manner of man is this, for the winds and the 
sea obey Him?" (Matt. viii. 24-27.) 

The ship in which Jesus was with the disciples is, 
according to St. Augustine, an emblem of the Church, 
which amid the troubles of a wicked world is, as it were, 
beaten by the waves of a boisterous sea. Almighty God 
permits such storms to rise, lest the calm enjoyment of 
the world might make us forget the heavenly port for 
which we ought always to steer. Having provided us 
with a bark wherein to work our passage through this 
stormy world, He knows how to conduct us safe into 
port. No shipwreck is to be apprehended by those who 
seek protection from God by prayer. The more violent 
the trial, the more earnest ought to be our prayer. If 
Jesus is with us, what need we fear? If God is for us, 
what harm can we receive? Our chief apprehension 
ought to be lest our diffidence in God, or our remissness 
in prayer, may render us less deserving of Our Saviour's 
goodness. 



102 



The Miracles of Jesus. 



The Demoniac Cared. 

"And they came over the strait of the sea into the 
country of the Gerasens. And as He went out of the 
ship, immediately there met Him out of the monuments 
a man with an unclean spirit, who had his dwelling in 
the tombs, and no man could bind him even with chains : 
for having been often bound with fetters and chains, he 
had burst the chains and broken the fetters in pieces, 
and no one could tame him ; and he w T as always clay and 
night in the monuments and in the mountains, crying 
and cutting himself with stones. And seeing Jesus afar 
off, he ran and adored Him: and crying with a loud 
voice he said : What have I to do with Thee, Jesus the 
Son of the most high God? I adjure Thee by God that 
Thou torment me not. For He said unto him : Go out 
of the man, thou unclean spirit. And He asked him: 
What is thy name? And he saith to Him: My name is 
Legion, for we are many. And he besought Him much, 
that He would not drive him away out of the country. 
And there w T as there near the mountain a great herd of 
swine, feeding. And the spirits besought Him, saying: 
Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them, 
And Jesus immediately gave them leave. And the un- 
clean spirits going out, entered into the swine: and the 
herd with great violence was carried headlong into the 
sea, being about two thousand, and were stifled in the 
sea. And they that fed them fled, and told it in the city 
and in the fields. And they went out to see what was 
done: and they come to Jesus : and they see him that 



The Miracles of Jesus. 103 

was troubled with the devil sitting clothed, and well in 
his wits, and they were afraid. And they that had seen 
it, told them in what manner he had been dealt with 
who had the devil, and concerning the swine. And they 
began to pray Him that He would depart from their 
coast. And when He went up into the ship, he that had 
been troubled with the devil, began to beseech Him that 
he might be with Him. And He admitted him not, but 
saith to him : Go into thy house to thy friends, and tell 
them how great things the Lord hath done for thee and 
hath had mercy on thee. And he went his way, and 
began to publish in Decapolis, how great things Jesus 
had done for him: and all men wondered." (Mark v. 
1-20.) 

The demoniac, according to the holy Fathers, exhibits 
a striking figure of those unhappy sinners who, by vice, 
depart from the fellowship of saints, strip themselves of 
the robe of sanctifying grace, and, in mortal sin, sit far 
from those heavenly mansions which Our Saviour pur- 
chased for them with His blood. Hurried away by the 
violence of lawless passions, they run wild in the pursuit 
of sensual enjoyments, forget their last end, and break 
every moral and religious tie that tends to restrain them 
in the desires of their corrupt hearts. Wallowing in the 
mire of animal delights, and rushing headlong into the 
gulf of endless perdition, they stand in need of a miracle 
of grace to free them from their wretched slavery, and 
restore them to the peace which no man can enjoy as 
long as he is at variance with God. 



io4 



The Miracles of Jesus. 



Cure of the Centurion \ Servant. 

" And the servant of a certain centurion, who was dear 
to him, being sick, was ready to die : and when he had 
heard of Jesus, he sent unto Him the ancients of the 
Jews, desiring Him to come and heal his servant. And 
when they came to Jesus, they besought Him earnestly, 
saying to Him : He is worthy that Thou shouldst do this 
favor for him ; for he loveth our nation, and he hath 
built us a synagogue. And Jesus went with them. And 
when He was now not far from the house, the centurion 
sent his friends to Him, saying: Lord, trouble not Thy- 
self : for I am not worthy that Thou shouldst enter under 
my roof; for which cause neither did I think myself 
worthy to come to Thee : but say the word, and my ser- 
vant shall be healed. For I also am a man subject to 
authority, having under me soldiers : and I say to one 
go, and he goeth; and to another come, and he cometh; 
and to my servant, do this, and he doth it. Which Jesus 
hearing, marvelled: and turning about to the multitude 
that followed Him, He said: Amen, I say to you, I have 
not found so great faith, not even in Israel. And they 
who were sent being returned to the house, found the 
servant whole who had been sick.' ; (Luke vii. i-io.) 

The charitable concern which the centurion showed 
for his dying servant furnishes the holy Fathers with an 
opportunity of putting all Christian masters in mind of 
the care which they are obliged to take of their servants, 
especially when they are sick; it is a duty which they 
owe them in charity : to neglect their servants either in 



The Miracles of Jesus. 



105 



their spiritual or their temporal distress is, in the Apos- 
tle's language (1 Tim. v. 8), to be worse than infidels. 
Masters should never forget that they also have a Master 
in heaven, to whom the poor are as dear as the rich, and 
who recognizes no difference in persons. If they expect 
to be mercifully dealt with by God, they should remem- 
ber to be kind to those whom He has placed in their 
care. 

The Son of the Widow of Nairn. 

" And it came to pass afterward that He went into a 
city that is called Nairn, and there went with Him His 
disciples and a great multitude. And when He came 
nigh to the gate of the city, behold a dead man was car- 
ried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a 
widow: and a great multitude of the city was with her. 
Whom when the Lord had seen, being moved with mercy 
toward her, He said to her : Weep not. And He came 
near, and touched the bier. (And they that carried it 
stood still.) And He said: Young man, I say to thee, 
arise. And he that was dead, sat up, and began to 
speak. And He gave him to his mother. And there 
came a fear on them : and they glorified God, saying : A 
great prophet is risen up among us, and God hath visited 
His people." (Luke vii. 11-16.) 

The holy Fathers consider the love which this mother 
bore for her only son as a figure of that tender love which 
the Church has for her children. With the warmest 
affection she embraces each in particular, as if he were 
the only one, and, in the hope of seeing them afterward 



io6 



The Miracles of Jesus. 



raised to eternal life, consoles herself amidst the cares 
and afflictions that must necessarily befall her in this 
vale of tears. The spiritual death of so many of them 
is a subject of continual sorrow to her. With a heavy 
heart she sees her thoughtless children snatched from 
her arms by unruly passions, and hurried away by a train 
of sins toward the fathomless abyss. She mourns their 
misfortune, and implores the pity of her heavenly spouse, 
that He may raise them again by His powerful grace. 

Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes. 

" Herod had apprehended John and bound him, and 
put him into prison because of Herodias, his brother's 
wife. For John said to him : It is not lawful for thee 
to have her. And having a mind to put him to death, 
he feared the people : because they esteemed him as a 
prophet. But on Herod's birthday, the daughter of He- 
rodias danced before them, and pleased Herod. Where- 
upon he promised with an oath to give her whatsoever 
she would ask of him. But being instructed before by 
her mother, said : Give me here in a dish the head of 
John the Baptist. And the king was struck sad: yet be- 
cause of his oath, and for them that sat with him at table, 
he commanded it to be given. And he sent, and be- 
headed John in the prison. And his head was brought 
in a dish, and it was given to the damsel, and she brought 
it to her mother. And his disciples came and took the 
body and buried it: and came and told Jesus. Which 
when Jesus heard, He retired from thence by boat, into 
a desert place apart, and the multitudes having heard of 



The Miracles of Jesus. 107 

it, followed Him on foot out of the cities. And He 
coming forth saw a great multitude, and had compassion 
on them, and healed their sick. And when it was even- 
ing, His disciples came to Him, saying: This is a desert 
place,, and the hour is now past : send away the multi- 
tudes, that going into the towns they may buy themselves 
victuals. But Jesus said to them : They have no need 
to go: give you them to eat. They answered Him: We 
have not here, but five loaves and two fishes. Who said 
to them : Bring them hither to Me. And when He had 
commanded the multitudes to sit down upon the grass, 
He took the five loaves and the two fishes, and looking 
up to heaven He blessed, and brake and gave the loaves 
to His disciples, and the disciples to the multitudes. 
And they did all eat and were filled. And they took up 
what remained, twelve full baskets of fragments. And 
the number of them that did eat was live thousand men, 
besides women and children." (Matt. xiv. 3-21.) 

The holy Fathers consider these five thousand men as 
a figure of those Christians who quit the world, in desire 
at least, to follow Christ through the desert of this life. 
In the company of their divine Master they attentively 
listen to His eternal truths; they seek no earthly com- 
fort, but such as He may will them. The}' are happy in 
the presence of their Lord and Saviour; they continue in 
His service without weariness, and joyfully bear with 
whatever labors and difficulties they meet. Thev know 
He has numbered the hairs of their heads, not one of 
which falls to the ground without His permission; they 
remember it is He who feeds the birds of the air, and 



108 The Miracles of Jesus. 

never abandons those who are serious in their endeavors 
to serve Him. 

Healing of the Ten Lepers. 

66 And it came to pass, as He was going to Jerusalem, 
He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. 
And as He entered into a certain town, there met Him 
ten men that were lepers, who stood afar off, and lifted 
up their voices, saying: Jesus, Master, have mercy on 
us. Whom when He saw He said : Go, show yourselves 
to the priests. And it came to pass, as they went, they 
were made clean. And one of them, when he saw that 
he was made clean, went back, with a loud voice glorify- 
ing God. And he fell upon his face before His feet, 
giving thanks : and this was a Samaritan. And Jesus 
answering, said : Were not ten made clean ? and where 
are the nine? There is no one found to return and give 
glory to God, but this stranger. And He said to him: 
Arise, go thy way : for thy faith hath made thee whole. " 
(Luke xvii. 1 1-19.) 

The reproach of our divine Saviour to the nine lepers 
for not coming to thank Him for the mercy He had 
shown them proves how much He is displeased with the 
vice of ingratitude. No favor from God, say the holy 
Fathers, ought to be received without the deepest sense 
of gratitude: gratitude in return for one favor is the 
surest way to receive another. The nine ungrateful 
lepers were undoubtedly sensible of the benefit conferred 
on them, and rejoiced at their cure, but they showed no 
gratitude: their memory is therefore branded with in- 



The Miracles of Jesus, 



109 



famy, so that we may conceive a just horror of ingrati- 
tude, which renders us odious to God and man. 

The Man Born Blind. 

"And Jesus passing by, saw a man who was blind 
from his birth; and His disciples asked Him: Rabbi, 
who hath sinned, this man, or his parents, that he should 
be born blind? Jesus answered: Neither hath this man 
sinned, nor his parents : but that the works of God 
should be made manifest in him. I must work the works 
of Him that sent Me, whilst it is day : the night cometh 
when no man can work; as long as I am in the world, I 
am the Light of the world. When He had said these 
things, He spat upon the ground, and made clay of spit- 
tle, and spread the clay upon his eyes, and said to him : 
Go, wash in the pool of Siloe (which is interpreted, 
Sent). He went, therefore, and washed, and he came 
seeing. The neighbors therefore, and they who had seen 
him before that he was a beggar, said : Is not this he 
that sat and begged? Some said: This is he. But 
others said: No, but he is like him. But he said: I am 
he. They said therefore to him : How were thy eyes 
opened? He answered: That man that is called Jesus 
made clay and anointed my eyes, and said to me: Go to 
the pool of Siloe, and wash. And I went, I washed, and 
I see. And they said to him : Where is He ? He saith : 
I know not. They bring him that had been blind to the 
Pharisees. Now it was the Sabbath when Jesus made 
the clay and opened his eyes. Again, therefore, the 
Pharisees asked him how he had received his sight. But 



I IO 



The Miracles of Jesus. 



he said to them : He put clay upon my eyes, and I 
washed, and I see. Some therefore of the Pharisees 
said: This man is not of God, who keepeth not the Sab- 
bath. But others said : How can a man that is a sinner 
do such miracles? And there was a division among 
them. They say therefore to the blind man again : What 
sayest thou of Him that hath opened thy eyes? And he 
said: He is a prophet. The Jews then did not believe 
concerning him, that he had been blind and had re- 
ceived his sight, until they called the parents of him 
that had received his sight; and asked them, saying: Is 
this your son, who you say was born blind? How then 
doth he now see? His parents answered them, and said: 
We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind : 
but how he now seeth, we know not: or who hath opened 
his eyes, we know not: ask himself: he is of age, let 
him speak for himself. These things his parents said, 
because they feared the Jews : for the Jews had already 
agreed among themselves, that if any man should confess 
Him to be Christ he should be put out of the synagogue. 
Therefore did his parents say, He is of age, ask him. 
They therefore called the man again that had been blind, 
and said to him: Give glory to God: we know that this 
man is a sinner. He said therefore to them : If he be a 
sinner, I know not: one thing I know, that whereas I 
was blind, now I see. They said then to him : What 
did He to thee? How did He open thy eyes? He an- 
swered them: I have told you already, and you have 
heard: why would you hear it again ? will you also be- 
come His disciples? They reviled him therefore and 



The Miracles of Jesus. 



1 1 1 



said: Be thou His disciple: but we are the disciples of 
Moses. We know that God spoke to Moses : but as to 
this man, we know not from whence He is. The man 
answered and said to them: Why herein is a wonderful 
thing that you know not from whence He is, and He 
hath opened my eyes. Now we know that God doth not 
hear sinners : but if a man be a server of God, and doth 
His will, him He heareth. From the beginning of the 
world it hath not been heard, that any man hath opened 
the eyes of one born blind. Unless this man were of 
God, He could not do anything. They answered, and 
said to him : Thou wast wholly born in sins, and dost 
thou teach us? And they cast him out. Jesus heard 
that they had cast him out: and when He had found 
him, He said to him : Dost thou believe in the Son of 
God? He answered, and said: Who is He, Lord, that I 
may believe in Him? And Jesus said to him: Thou 
hast both seen Him, and it is He that talketh with thee. 
And he said: I believe, Lord. And falling down, he 
adored Him." (John ix. 1-38.) 

Thrice happy, say the holy Fathers, was the man who, 
through his corporal blindness, discovered the true 
Light, which enlightens every man who cometh into this 
world. He became not only the worshipper, but also the 
defender of Jesus Christ against His enemies. Un- 
deterred by their threats, he boldly declared the truth, 
and silenced their captious arguments against it. The 
Jews cast him out of their synagogue, but Jesus received 
him amongst His own. 



112 



The Miracles of Jesus. 



Lazarus Raised to Life. 

" Now there was a certain man sick, named Lazarus, of 
Bethania, of the town of Mary, and of Martha her sister. 
(And Mary was she that anointed the Lord with oint- 
ment and wiped His feet with her hair: whose brother 
Lazarus was sick.) His sisters therefore sent to Him 
saying: Lord, behold, he whom Thou lovest is sick. 
And Jesus hearing it, said to them : This sickness is not 
unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God 
may be glorified by it. Now Jesus loved Martha, and 
her sister Mary, and Lazarus. When He had heard 
therefore that he was sick He still remained in the same 
place two days; then after that He said to His disciples: 
Let us go into Judea again. The disciples say to Him: 
Rabbi, the Jews but now sought to stone Thee, and goest 
Thou thither again? Jesus answered: Are there not 
twelve hours of the day? If a man walk in the day he 
stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world: 
but if he walk in the night, he stumbleth, because the 
light is not in him. These things He said, and after 
that He said to them : Lazarus our friend sleepeth : but 
I go that I may awake him out of sleep. His disciples 
therefore said: Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well. But 
Jesus spoke of his death, and they thought that He spoke 
of the repose of sleep. Then therefore Jesus said to 
them plainly : Lazarus is dead : and I am glad for your 
sakes, that I was not there, that you may believe; but let 
us go to him. Thomas therefore, who is called Didy- 
mus, said to his fellow-disciples: Let us also go, that we 



The Miracles of fesus. 



may die with Him. Jesus therefore came: and found 
that he had been four days already in the grave. (Now 
Bethania was near Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off.) 
And many of the Jews were come to Martha and Mary, 
to comfort them concerning their brother. Martha there- 
fore, as soon as she heard that Jesus was come, went to 
meet Him: but Mary sat at home. Martha therefore 
said to Jesus: Lord, if Thou hadst been here, my brother 
had not died: but now also I know that whatsoever Thou 
wilt ask of God, God will give it Thee. Jesus saith to 
her: Thy brother shall rise again. Martha saith to 
Him: I know that He shall rise again in the resurrec- 
tion at the last day. Jesus said to her: I am the resur- 
rection and the life: he that believeth in Me, although 
he be dead, shall live: and ever}' one that liveth and 
believeth in Me shall not die forever. Believest thou 
this? She saith to Him: Yea, Lord, I have believed 
that Thou art Christ the Son of the living God, who art 
come into this world. And' when she had said these 
things, she went and called her sister Mary secretly, 
saying: The Master is come and calleth for thee. She, 
as soon as she heard this, riseth quickly and cometh to 
Him : for Jesus was not yet come into the town, but He 
was still in that place where Martha had met Him. The 
Jews, therefore, who were with her in the house, and 
comforted her, when they saw Mary that she rose up 
speedily and went out, followed her, saying: She goeth 
to the grave, to weep there. When Mary therefore was 
come where Jesus was, seeing Him, she fell down at His 
feet, and saith to Him: Lord, if Thou hadst been here 
8 



ii4 



The Miracles of Jesus. 



my brother had not died. Jesus therefore, when He saw 
her weeping, and the Jews that were come with her. 
weeping, groaned in the spirit, and troubled Himself and 
said: Where have you laid him? They say to Him: 
Lord, come and see. And Jesus wept. The Jews there- 
fore said : Behold how He loved him. But some of them 
said: Could not He that opened the eyes of the man 
born blind, have caused that this man should not die? 
Jesus therefore again groaning to Himself, cometh to the 
sepulchre: now it was a cave, and a stone was laid over 
it. Jesus saith: Take awav the stone. Martha the sis- 
ter of him that was dead, saith to Him: Lord, by this 
time he stinketh, for he is now of four days. Jesus saith 
to her: Did not I say to thee, that if thou believe, thou 
shalt see the glory of God? They took therefore the 
stone away: and Jesus lifting up His eyes said: Father, 
I give Thee thanks that Thou hast heard Me ; and I knew 
that Thou nearest Me always, but because of the people 
who stand about have I said it: that they may believe 
that Thou hast sent Me. When He had said these things, 
He cried with a loud voice : Lazarus, come forth. And 
presently he that had been dead came forth, bound feet 
and hands with winding bands, and his face was bound 
about with a napkin. Jesus said to them : Loose him 
and let him go. Many therefore of the Jews who were 
come to Mary and Martha, and had seen the things that 
Jesus did, believed in Him. But some of them went to 
the Pharisees and told them the things that Jesus had 
clone. The chief priests therefore and the Pharisees 
gathered a council, and said: What do we. for this man 



The Miracles of Jesus. 



doth many miracles? If we let Him alone so, all will 
believe in Him: and the Romans will come and take 
away our place and nation. But one of them named 
Caiphas, being the high priest that year, said to them: 
You know nothing. Neither do you consider that it is 
expedient for you that one man should die for the people, 
and that the whole nation perish not. And this he spoke 
not of himself : but being the high priest of that year, he 
prophesied that Jesus should die for the nation, and not 
only for the nation, but to gather together in one the 
children of God, that were dispersed. From that day 
therefore they devised to put Him to death.' 7 (John xi. 

The holy Fathers consider the resurrection of Lazarus 
as a figure of the spiritual resurrection of a soul from 
the state of sin. Jesus approaches the sinner by His 
holy grace; He calls upon him by His holy word: He 
excites him to a sincere contrition for his past sins: He 
animates him with a strong purpose of amendment by the 
infusion of His holy Spirit; He unbinds him by the 
powder which He has given to the ministers of His 
Church, and bids him lead a new life. Such is the 
wonderful work which the Saviour of our souls produces 
in the order of grace. The tears, the sighs, the groans, 
the prayer of Jesus at the tomb of Lazarus, indicate the 
difficulty there is in resuscitating a soul that has been 
long dead through a habit of mortal sin. But however 
great the difficulty may be, the sinner, when he considers 
how powerful and good the Redeemer is, ought never to 
despair. 



n6 



The Miracles of Jesus. 



What motive had Jesus in performing these, and the 
other astounding miracles related in the Gospels? They 
" manifested His glory/ 7 and showed Him to be the Son 
of God. Because Jesus did these miracles before His 
disciples " they believed in Him." Here we have the 
utility of miracles, namely, to confirm in our hearts a 
belief in Christ. How can any unprejudiced and reason- 
able mind call in question the miracles of our blessed 
Lord? They were described in the Gospels at a time 
when many were still living in Judea who had personally 
known Jesus Christ, and who had been so hostile to Him 
and to His doctrine, and so ready to deny His miracles, 
that if their falsity could possibly be proven they would 
have hastened to contradict this unanimous testimony. 
Moreover, has not Christ perpetuated in His Church, 
during all ages, in holy persons, the power of working 
miracles, as is proved from Church history? In truth, 
he who doubts Christ's miracles must logically doubt 
every event of early centuries which profane history 
furnishes. 

Well may we be proud, as Christians, that the doc- 
trines of our divine Master are attested by countless 
undeniable miracles. O Jesus, let me live and die true 
to Thy comforting revelation. 



CHAPTER XI. 



CHRIST ANNOUNCES TO ST. PETER HIS SUPREME PASTORAL 
CHARGE. — THE TRANSFIGURATION. 

S~\ NCE Jesus came with His disciples into the region 



v_y of Caesarea Philippi, a city on one of the sources 
of the Jordan, in a most lovely, fertile, and magnificent 
country. In ancient times, it had been the seat of the 
most atrocious idolatry : here the Jewish tribe of Dan had 
sacrificed to false gods; here Jeroboam had set up the 
golden calf. At the time of Christ there was there an 
altar of Pan, and a temple, erected by Herod in honor of 
Augustus. The great ones of the world, too, like Herod, 
his son Philip, his great-nephew Agrippa II., and others, 
loved to sojourn at Caesarea Philippi on account of its 
beautiful situation. There they had statues erected to 
their honor, and their names sculptured in marble, as 
may still be seen in the remains of former glory. This 
city, which seemed to have been specially singled out by 
the " prince of this world " to unfold his pomp and splen- 
dor, was chosen by Christ as the place in which He 
promised to St. Peter the supreme pastoral charge, and 
where at the same time He declared the indefectibility 
and indestructibility of His kingdom, whose purpose is 
to destroy the kingdom of the prince of this world. 

"And Jesus came into the quarters of Caesarea Philip- 




u8 



Peter's Primacy. 



pi : and He asked His disciples, saying : Who do men 
say that the Son of man is? But they said: Some John 
the Baptist, and other some Elias, and others Jeremias, or 
one of the prophets. Jesus saith to them : But who do 
you say that I am? Simon Peter answered and said: 
Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus 
answering, said to him : Blessed art thou, Simon Bar- 
Jona : because flesh and blood hath not revealed it to 
thee, but My Father who is in heaven. And I say to 
thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build 
My Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against 
it. And I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of 
heaven. And whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth, it 
shall be bound also in heaven : and whatsoever thou shalt 
loose upon earth, it shall be loosed also in heaven." 
(Matt. xvi. 13-19.) 

Such are the ever-memorable words of Jesus Christ ad- 
dressed to St. Peter, establishing his primacy and that of 
his successors in the papacy. St. Peter was to be the 
chief pastor of the united flocks of Jews and Gentiles, so 
that, in all that regards the Church, he is the visible rep- 
resentative of the invisible Saviour, who sits at the right 
hand of His Father in heaven. He was always treated 
as chief of the apostles, and after Christ's resurrection, 
at the triple profession of. his love for his divine Master, 
Peter's precedence was confirmed. But as the Church of 
Christ was to outlive that generation, and is to last till 
the end of time, so must the office of Peter live in his 
lawful successors, who are, according to the unanimous 
testimony of all ages, the bishops of Rome. 



Christ Healing the Sick. 



Peter s Primacy. 119 

"From that time Jesus began to show His disciples 
that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things 
from the ancients and scribes and chief priests, and be 
put to death, and the third day rise again. And Peter, 
taking Him, began to rebuke Him, saying: Lord, be it 
far from Thee : this shall not be unto Thee. Who turn- 
ing said to Peter: Go behind Me, Satan, thou art a scan- 
dal unto Me : because thou savorest not the things that 
are of God, but the things that are of men." (Matt. xvi. 
22, 23.) 

St. Peter, not having yet been enlightened by the Holy 
Ghost, could not understand the mystery of Christ's suf- 
fering, now mentioned for the first time. Jesus earnestly 
rebukes him for his worldly notions, and warns him and 
the other apostles that they, too, will be called upon to 
surfer. "Then Jesus said to His disciples: If any man 
will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up 
his cross, and follow Me. For he that will save his life 
shall lose it; and he that shall lose his life for My sake 
shall find it. For what doth it profit a man, if he gain 
the whole world and suffer the loss of his own soul ? Or 
what exchange shall a man give for his soul?" (Matt, 
xvi. 24-26.) 

Before entering on His passion, and before His disci- 
ples should witness the humiliation and degradation of 
their Master, Christ wished to appear in resplendent and 
radiant glory on Mount Thabor. This mountain is dis- 
tant from Caesarea Philippi about twenty-two leagues, and 
is situated in the vicinity of Nazareth. " And after six 
days Jesus taketh unto Him Peter and James, and John 



i2o The Transfiguration. 

m 

his brother, and bringeth them up into a high mountain 
apart: and He was transfigured before them. And His 
face did shine as the sun; and His garments became 
white as snow. And behold there appeared to them Mo- 
ses and Eiias talking with Him. And Peter answering, 
said to Jesus : Lord, it is good for us to be here : if Thou 
wilt, let us make here three tabernacles— one for Thee, 
and one for Moses, and one for Elias. And as he was 
yet speaking, behold a bright cloud overshadowed them. 
And lo, a voice out of the cloud, saying: This is My be- 
loved Son, in whom I am well pleased: hear ye Him. 
And the disciples hearing, fell upon their face, and were 
very much afraid. And Jesus came and touched them, 
and said to them : Arise, and fear not. And they, lifting 
up their eyes, saw no one, but only Jesus. And as they 
came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, say- 
ing: Tell the vision to no man, till the Son of man be 
risen from the dead." (Matt. xvii. 1-9.) 

This was the most sublime and most mysterious ap- 
parition of the Redeemer during His stay on earth. The 
eternal Father testifies to Him, as do the Fathers of the 
Old Law, Moses and Elias. The Fathers of the New, 
the three principal apostles, receive this testimony with 
reverential awe. Moses, the lawgiver, and Elias, the 
leader of the prophets, attest to the completion and ful- 
filment, in Christ's death on the cross, of all the figures, 
sacrifices, and prophecies of the Old Law. From the 
eternal Father Himself, the Son of man received the tes- 
timonv that He is the Saviour in whom mankind will 
find their Teacher and Redeemer. 



The Tra ns fign ra Hon . 121 

This mysterious transfiguration of Our Lord was one 
of the means He made use of to confirm the faith of His 
apostles, as St. Peter testifies : " For we have not fol- 
lowed cunningly devised fables when we made known to 
you the power and presence of Our Lord Jesus Christ, 
but having been made eye-witnesses of His majesty. 
For He received from the Father honor and glory, this 
voice coming down to Him from the exultant glory: This 
is My beloved Son, in whom I have pleased Myself : 
hear ye Him, And this voice we heard brought from 
heaven, when we were with Him in the holy mount." 
(2 Pet. i. 16-18.) Jesus, by exhibiting to His favorite 
apostles a glorified body, was pleased to give them a 
foresight of that happy change which the bodies of His 
elect shall put on at the general resurrection, and showed 
them how transcendent is the glory of that supernatural 
happiness which shall reward the light and momentary 
tribulations that the just here undergo for God's sake. 



CHAPTER XII. 

THE PRIVATE LIFE OF JESUS DURING HIS MINISTRY. 

THE whole life of Jesus was one of humility, retire- 
ment, and silence; but when the time was come 
for Him to appear in public, He desired to be to the 
world an example of austerity and penance. He was the 
rich son of the richest father, yet He lived in the most 
abject poverty. Consider how deplorable it would be if 
a mighty king were to send his son into a strange country 
without any means whatsoever, permitting him to suffer 
want and privations of all kinds, and compelling him to 
sleep, like the poorest beggar, under the canopy of heav- 
en, and to beg his bread from house to house. All this 
happened to your dear Jesus, for He often suffered from 
hunger, as appears from the fact that once His disciples 
plucked the ripe ears of corn in the field to satisfy their 
craving for food. If you had seen the meek Lamb of God 
going about poorly clad, suffering want, you would in- 
deed have wept with compassion. His garments were of 
coarse wool, of the kind worn by the poor people of Gali- 
lee. He always went with bare head, in heat and in cold, 
in wind and in rain, and He wore neither shoes nor san- 
dals. To provide for the necessaries of life, He had to 
rely on alms. Such a life, hard as it is to anybody, must 

122 



The Private Life of Jesus, 123 

have been especially so to our dear Lord. Hear Him 
saying plaintively: " The foxes have holes, and the birds 
of the air nests: but the Son of man hath not where to 
lay His head" (Matt. viii. 20), as if He would say: " My 
heavenly Father is less severe with irrational creatures 
than with Me, for He provides nourishment, covering, 
and abode for them; but to Me, His only-begotten Son, 
He has denied even a cubit of room, and permits Me to 
wander about the world a mendicant, suffering for want 
of all things." 

True, Our Lord suffered this poverty most willingly ; 
nevertheless, it provided the Pharisees with a pretence of 
making it a reproach to Him; for they would not believe 
that His poverty was voluntary, but regarded it as caused 
by His faults. Hence they despised Him before men and 
spoke disreputably of Him, saying: " He is a beggar, un- 
able to buy Himself a pair of shoes ; He is too lazy to work, 
and suffers in consequence of His sloth.'' Therefore 
many people withdrew from Him, thinking it a reproach 
to associate with so despised a man. These and similar 
reproaches Jesus had to suffer continually, yet He did not 
discard His poverty, but persevered in it until death. 

If you ask why His Father dealt thus severely with 
Him, He will answer you: " Know that My Father sent 
Me into the world not onlv to atone for sin, but also to 
teach the children of the world by My example how per- 
versely they act when they devote themselves exclusively 
to temporal concerns and neglect the affairs of eternity. 
By the poverty of My apparel I was to show them how 
grievously they sin by extravagance in dress; by My 



124 



The Private Life of Jesus, 



scanty fare I was to intimate to them the perversity of 
luxurious living; by My humble demeanor I was to teach 
them the sinfulness of seeking self-exaltation and the ad- 
miration of others. Therefore be mindful of My judg- 
ment when you are tempted to disregard My example, 
and to live so differently from My mode of life." 

Besides practising poverty, our divine Saviour contin- 
ually chastised His body by fasting, watching, preaching, 
travelling, bearing heat and cold, and devoting Himself 
to penitential exercises. Consider how He continually 
mortified Himself in eating and drinking, curtailing His 
rest and sleep: and then examine your own conduct in 
this respect. You know, perhaps, by experience the 
pangs of hunger; consider, then, how our dear Lord 
suffered by His voluntary fast, especially when attending 
feasts to which He was invited, and where He never in- 
dulged His appetite. Behold your Lord thus rebuking 
your sensuality, and teaching you by His example not to 
take more nourishment than is necessary for your health. 
Oh, how often we offend in this respect, not only refusing 
to follow the example of Our Lord, but sinning by over- 
fastidiousness and by gluttony. 

And how can we adequately describe what Our Lord 
suffered from thirst? We are well aware that thirst is a 
much greater torment than hunger, that it causes almost 
insupportable pain. Although the pangs of hunger which 
Our Saviour suffered were great, greater still were the 
torments He suffered from thirst. Travelling continually 
from place to place in the hot climate of Palestine, He 
was often in want of water, as appears from the incident 



The Private Life of Jesus. 



125 



at Jacob's well, near Sichem, where He asked a woman 
for a drink. O poor Saviour, Thou art the Creator of all 
the springs and streams, and yet Thou dost suffer for 
want of water! Thou, who regalest the angels with 
heavenly nectar, dost suffer from thirst! Learn from 
Christ's example to mortify yourself in eating and drink- 
ing. Especially avoid the great sin of drunkenness, and 
everything that leads thereto. Remembering the sacred 
thirst of Our Lord Jesus, follow His example and control 
your appetite, denying yourself its indulgence. Imagine 
Him standing before you, saying: "My child, slake My 
thirst!" and refresh Him by an act of mortification. 

If you ask why Jesus led so austere a life, He will 
answer you: " My child, I did this in order to show thee 
how to mortify thy sensuality by denying yourself in eat- 
ing and drinking. One day I addressed St. Margaret of 
Cortona as follows : 4 True Christians and servants of God 
cannot attain perfection in this life, except by resolutely 
overcoming the sin of gluttony.' If you will not mortify 
yourselves, but will always eat and drink according to 
your appetite, I fear you shall experience the woe which 
I have threatened, saying : ' Woe to you that are filled, for 
you shall hunger.'" (Matt. vi. 25.) 

Again, Jesus mortified His frail body by fatiguing 
journeys and the labor of teaching and preaching of His 
ministry. The Jewish country abounds in mountains 
and wildernesses, and the traveller is often compelled to 
journey leagues through deserted places before he reaches 
an inhabited spot. Hence our dear Saviour had to cross 
many a trackless mountain and valley, pass through 



126 



The Private Life of Jesus. 



many a wilderness and desert, in wind and in rain, in 
heat and in cold, in labor and fatigue, seeking, as the 
Good Shepherd, the lost sheep. He was so anxious to 
rescue them from the fangs of the wolf that He spared 
neither pains nor labor to save them. 

Consider here that Our Lord, exhausted, wet with 
rain, scorched by the heat, shivering with cold, hungry 
and thirsty, often came into the cities and villages to 
find, perhaps, but scanty accommodations, or none at all, 
not even a roof to cover Him. 

Consider also that Our Lord chastised His body by 
continual watching. The evangelists tell us that He 
prayed, not only a few hours, but whole nights together. 
This must have been a most trying task for Him, ex- 
haustedas He was; and yet He did it, not once, but very 
often, for St. Luke says it was His custom : And going 
out He went, according to His custom, to the Mount of 
Olives." (Luke xxii. 39.) When He spent the night 
in Bethania, He seldom remained at Martha's house, but 
went, tired as He was, to Mount Olivet to pray. 

Despite this humble and laborious life in the service 
of His fellow-men, Our Saviour was fiercely persecuted. 
The Saducees, a Jewish sect denying the immortality of 
the soul and judgment after death, whose members de- 
voted themselves unreservedly to sensual indulgences, of 
course did not relish the strict doctrine and austere life 
of Christ. The high priests, too. and the Pharisees were 
His enemies. Their hatred was caused principally by 
jealousy : the people loved and praised Jesus, and left 
them. At this they were offended, 



The Private Life of Jesus. 127 

The hatred of the Pharisees, especially, became more 
intense every day, until they finally were thoroughly en- 
raged. They sought by all means to withdraw the people 
from Christ, and to regain their confidence. They sus- 
piciously w r atched every word and act of Jesus, to find 
cause to accuse Him. They began to censure the peo- 
ple, saying: "How can you follow so mean a man, the 
son of poor people, Himself only a poor carpenter, whose 
companions are as base, ignorant, and despicable as Him- 
self, and who are led by His cunning words to abandon 
their families, to travel over the country with Him in 
idleness? Beware, the end will prove that our warning 
was opportune." 

By such phrases the Pharisees tried to dissuade the 
people from following Christ, but with little success; for 
the longer He continued in His ministry the more did 
the people flock to Him. Finally, when His followers 
proclaimed Jesus as the Messias, His enemies had re- 
course to the high priests and ancients in Jerusalem, say- 
ing: ''This matter will result in no good: there will be 
a revolt; the people will no longer obey you, but will 
rise and make this man king. They will rouse the anger 
of the Romans, who will destroy you.'' The chiefs and 
high priests, themselves enemies of Jesus, lent a willing 
ear to these accusations, and made no pretence to conceal 
their hatred of Him. This hatred caused Our Saviour to 
feel so aggrieved that He referred to it shortly before 
His death, saying: "If they have persecuted Me, they 
will also persecute you.*' (John xv. 20.) 

No doubt the secret calumnies of His enemies were a 



128 



The Private Life of Jesus. 



great trial to the loving heart of Our Lord, but a still 
greater one was their open and undisguised resistance. 
Observing that their accusations did not keep the people 
from following Him, they openly persecuted Him by at- 
tacking His character. St. Matthew informs us that they 
called Him a blasphemer, a glutton, a wine-drinker, a 
friend of publicans and sinners: that they asked: "Is 
not this the carpenter's son, is not His mother called 
Mary : how came this man by His wisdom and mira- 
cles ?'"• Thev also said: " He casteth out devils bv Beel- 
zebub, the prince of devils. " (Luke xi. 15.) They 
were not content with words, but proceeded to deeds, and 
were guilty of every conceivable indignity against Him. 
They interrupted His sermons in the Temple, they re- 
proached Him publicly, and contended that He spoke 
falsehoods. They sought to convict Him of contradic- 
tory statements: they sent some of their number to ask 
Him questions, hoping to entrap Him. By such methods 
they succeeded in creating opposition to Him, and in 
drawing many, especially among the higher classes, away 
from Him, so that finally also the common people openly 
contradicted, blasphemed, and derided Him. St. John 
writes : " And there was much murmuring among the 
multitude concerning Him. For some said: He is a 
good man. And others said: No, but He seduceth the 
people.*' ( John vii. 12.) Matters having progressed so 
far that the people regarded Christ as a seducer, they no 
longer respected or reverenced Him. They contradicted 
Him when He spoke in the Temple or in the streets: 
they accused Him of ignorance, saying: "How doth this 



The Private Life of Jesus. 129 

man know letters, having never learned?'' (John vii. 
15.) They called Him a madman: they accused Him of 
lying: "He gives testimony of Himself: His testimony 
is not true:" they even said He intended to commit sui- 
cide: "The Jews therefore said: Will He kill Himself, 
because He said: Whither I go, you cannot come?" 
(John viii. 22.) They said He was possessed by the 
devil: "Now we know that Thou hast a devil." (John 
viii. 52.) 

Finally, the people became so enraged against Jesus 
that they sought to put Him to death. Our Lord Himself 
reproached them : " But now you seek to kill Me, a man 
having spoken the truth to you, which I have heard of 
God. 77 (John viii. 40.) And the evangelist informs us: 
"'After these things Jesus walked in Galilee, for He 
would not walk in Judea, because the Jews sought to kill 
Him/' (John vii. 1.) 

How intense must have been the hatred of the Jews, 
when they sought to take His life, who was their greatest 
benefactor and friend! Thus passion blinds man to his 
true interests, and leads him to commit the greatest 
crimes of injustice. 
9 



CHAPTER XIII. 



THE SORROW CAUSED TO JESUS AND MARY BY THE PERSE- 
CUTION OF THE JEWS. 



O learn, in a degree, how distressed Jesus was at so 



1 many and so grievous insults, consider, first, that 
He was most innocent. During all His life He had 
never done anything to harm or to offend anybody. 
True, He had sometimes rebuked the Pharisees for their 
grievous sins, but this He did, not from hatred, but from 
motives of charity, that they might come to a knowledge 
of their faults and amend them. No one else could say 
that Christ even so much as looked unkindly at him ; on 
the contrary, He went about doing good to all. He 
healed the sick, comforted the afflicted, converted sin- 
ners, instructed the ignorant, and dismissed no one from 
His presence without consolation and hope. 

Now, you well know how grieved you are when you 
are falsely accused and unjustly punished, and when a 
person whom you have befriended offends you. If such 
conduct causes you pain, how much more must our divine 
Saviour have felt aggrieved, He who had never done the 
least evil ! 

Moreover, Our Lord felt the loss of His reputation. 
On account of His miracles He had been likened to and 




The Persecution of the Jews. 



taken for Elias, Jeremias, or one of the other great 
prophets, or even for an angel, and many regarded Him 
as the true Messias. His fame being so great, the igno- 
miny of being thus despised was so much the greater. 
Consider how aggrieved Jesus must have felt when He, 
once regarded as the benefactor of His race, was now 
looked upon as the greatest malefactor. This grievance 
cannot be described in words. It was one of the great- 
est afflictions of Our Saviour, and the ill repute in which 
He was held by the people caused Him greater pain 
than all the strokes of His scourging, the sharp thorns, 
and the cruel nails. 

Again, not only was Our Lord regarded as a saint by 
the people, but He was in truth the most holy and most 
sacred person in the world. He was the glorious King 
of heaven and Lord of the earth, not only in name, but 
in fact; for He was appointed Ruler of the universe not 
by man, but by God Himself. He was the true Messias 
and Redeemer, sent by God to accomplish the work of 
redemption. Therefore His person was so sacred that 
the evil spirits trembled before Him, and the angels fell 
prostrate and adored Him. 

Jesus Christ being, then, so mighty a king and so su- 
preme a lord, how aggrieved must He have felt at being 
regarded and treated by His own creatures, His own 
subjects, as the greatest malefactor, the most abject of 
men! Our Lord, in His most sacred humanity, was, 
moreover, not only the greatest among the rulers of men, 
but also the true Son of the eternal, almighty, infinite, 
heavenly Father, Himself eternal and infinite God. 



132 



The Persecution of the Jews. 



And being God, He was the Creator, Ruler, and Pre- 
server of heaven and earth, the legitimate Judge of the 
living and the dead. Being God, all creatures were 
bound to adore Him and humbly to give Him glory. 
To refuse Him this homage was to offend Him most 
grievously; and as He is infinite in all His perfections, 
this offence was also infinite, and caused Him infinite pain. 

Another effect, infinitely painful to the loving heart of 
our divine Redeemer, resulted from the false accusations 
against Him. It was that many thousands of souls were 
thereby dissuaded from following Him, and therefore 
missed the benefits of redemption. He had come into 
this world that mankind might believe in Him and 
acknowledge Him to be the Son of God. How painful 
this must have been to Him, seeing that the reproach 
with which He was overwhelmed caused a great many to 
fall away and to lose faith in Him. Indeed, we may 
well say that as many souls as were thereby lost to faith 
and redemption, so many times was His sacred Heart 
wounded; and as many sins as resulted from the evil 
judgments of men, so often had He to drain the chalice 
of sorrow. 

Consider how the ignominies heaped upon Christ affect- 
ed the sorrowful heart of His Mother, causing her inexpres- 
sible grief. Indeed, it is impossible to describe ade- 
quately the sorrow of Mary, because it is beyond human 
conception. But we may sincerely believe that if for 
every word of calumny against her divine Son Mary's 
heart had been wounded by a sword, her pain would have 
been less. We may collect this from the words addressed 



The Persecution of the Jews. 133 

by an angel to St. Brigid : " As often as her Son was 
blasphemed, so often did the Blessed Virgin feel the 
sword of sorrow thrust into her soul.'' It is, indeed, a 
miracle that her maternal heart was able to bear such 
suffering. Listen to her own words to St. Brigid: "As 
often as I heard the calumnies against my Son, and the 
lies of the people, and witnessed how they persecuted 
Him, my heart was tilled with such sorrow that I could 
scarcely bear it." 

Mary was often in her Son's company. She followed 
Him from place to place with the pious women who 
ministered to Him. She was, therefore, an eye-witness 
of the insults with which He was overwhelmed: and the 
indignities she did not see were reported to her by others. 
And because she knew, better than any one else, that her 
Son was the Son of God, the sorrow and distress at seeing 
Him not only refused the homage due to Him as such, 
but treated most ignominiously, blasphemed, and perse- 
cuted, was so much the greater. All this cost Mary many 
a bitter tear, many a sorrowful sigh, and inexpressible 
anguish of heart. Indeed, if her Son had not sometimes 
relieved her by filling her heart with divine consolation, 
she would not have been able to bear her sorrows. 

When the followers of Jesus became more and more 
numerous, the chief priests and ancients of the people, 
together with the scribes and Pharisees, took counsel to- 
gether. " And the chief priests and the Pharisees had 
given a commandment, that if any man knew where He 
was. he should tell, that they might apprehend Him." 
(John xi. 56.; 



134 The Persecution of the Jews, 



The great council, composed of the high priests and 
seventy-one members, consisted of the chiefs of the 
priestly classes, of the high priests whose term of office 
had expired, of the lawyers and scribes, and the elders or 
heads of tribes and families. It was the office of this 
council to provide for the observance of the Mosaic law 
and for the order of divine service. But as the admission 
to this council depended in a great measure on the high 
priest, and since the time of the Machabees on his pagan 
protectors, worldly interests and considerations had re- 
placed the consecration to God's service. Hence it is 
not extraordinary that Christ was persecuted by the great 
council. The evangelists relate that several meetings 
were held against Our Saviour, and in one of these it 
was resolved that whosoever should acknowledge Him as 
the Messias should be expelled from the synagogue. 
Christ being thus publicly proclaimed as an impostor, 
the whole countrv was aroused, and He was made the 
subject of many injurious remarks. His enemies tri- 
umphed, saying : ; ' Have we not long since declared 
Him to be an impostor? Behold, now the great council 
brands Him as such." And many were scandalized at 
Christ, and left Him. Those who still adhered to Him 
had to do so in secret. 

The most important meeting of the council was the 
one held a few days before Palm Sunday, soon after the 
resurrection of Lazarus. The reason was this: After 
Christ had performed this extraordinary miracle, the 
fame of it spread throughout the whole country, and all 
that heard of it were tilled with consternation thereat. 



The Persecution of the Jews, 



135 



Many who had left Jesus from fear of the Jews returned 
to Him and proclaimed Him the true Messias. " The 
chief priests therefore and the Pharisees gathered a coun- 
cil, and said: What do we, for this man doth many mira- 
cles? If we let Him alone, all will believe in Him, and 
the Romans will come and take away our place and na- 
tion." (John xii. 47, 48.) Indeed, a most important 
meeting, where the fate of the Son of God is decided ! 
Might we not reasonably expect that they would unani- 
mously decree: "Since this man works such extraordi- 
nary signs and wonders, He must be the Messias" ? But 
no, when the votes were counted, the majority was against 
Christ, although some had spoken in His favor. Now 
the high priest gave his decision : Our Lord was, so to 
say, proscribed and declared an outlaw, as St. John de- 
clares : "The chief-priests and the Pharisees had given 
a commandment, that if any man knew where He was, he 
should tell, that they might apprehend Him." ( John xii. 

56., 

Consider what a reproach this sentence was to your 
Redeemer, by which He was not only branded as an im- 
postor who had impersonated the Messias. but was ad- 
judged guilty of death for His misdemeanors. This 
again resulted in the defection of many, who now re- 
garded Him as a malefactor. Oh, how bitterly did the 
innocent soul of Our Lord feel this reflection on His 
reputation ! 

And how do you think His Mother was affected by 
this treatment of her Son ? Trustworthy writers inform 
us that Nicodemus, immediately after that meeting of the 



136 



The Persecution of the Jews. 



council, wrote to St. Magdalen, requesting her to inform 
the Master to leave at once, and to conceal Himself from 
His enemies, which He did, as the Gospel informs us, 
by going to Ephrem. 

A few days afterward, " Jesus going up to Jerusalem, 
took the twelve disciples apart, and said to them : Behold, 
we go up to Jerusalem, and the Son of man shall be be- 
trayed to the chief priests and the scribes, and they shall 
condemn Him to death, and shall deliver Him to the 
Gentiles to be mocked and scourged and crucified." 
(Matt. xx. 17.) Christ had often predicted His passion 
to His disciples, but never so explicitly as now, for the 
time was at hand when it w r as to be accomplished. He 
referred to it not sorrowfully, for, as St. Luke remarks, 
" He w r ent before " His disciples, from which we may 
judge that Christ w T ent to His death willingly, for He had 
a great desire to accomplish our redemption. 



CHAPTER XIV, 



JESUS TRIUMPHANTLY ENTERS JERUSALEM. 

TOWARD evening, on the Friday before Palm Sun- 
day, Jesus again went to Bethania. There a sup- 
per was prepared for Him in the house of Simon, and 
Lazarus was among the guests. Martha ministered to 
Our Lord, and Magdalen, for the second time, anointed 
Him with precious ointment. On Sunday morning, He 
started with His disciples for Jerusalem. On coming to 
Bethphage, a village near Mount Olivet, He sent two dis- 
ciples before Him, saying: " Go into the village that is 
over against you, and immediately on your coming in 
thither, you shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her; 
loose them, and bring them to Me." (Matt. xxi. 2.) 
The disciples did as He ordered them, placed their gar- 
ments on the colt, and seated Jesus on it. Thus He rode 
from the village of Bethphage to the city of Jerusalem, 
and His disciples accompanied Him. 

Here consider the humility of Jesus. How simple and 
unpretending is His modest retinue! The King of kings 
comes riding, not upon a noble steed, but upon the much- 
despised ass, with head uncovered, with naked feet, ac- 
companied by His poor, illiterate disciples, who consti- 
tute His sole attendance! 

But why does Our Lord, in His formal entrance into 

i37 



■38 



Jesus enters Jerusalem. 



Jerusalem, ride upon an unbroken animal, an ass's colt 
upon which no one has ever sat? To declare to us His 
preference for the uncontaminated soul, and His love to 
take up His abode in innocent hearts which have known 
no other owner but Him, and have not wasted their value 
and strength in the service of a sinful world. 

Jesus having ascended Mount Olivet, He rode to an 
olive-tree, and, with His own hands, broke off one of its 
branches. This tree is shown to pilgrims even in our 
time. When His disciples saw this, they also broke 
branches off the trees, and, waving them in their hands, 
cried out: " Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is 
He that cometh in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in 
the highest!" St. John adds: " A great multitude, that 
was come to the festival day, when they heard that Jesus 
was coming to Jerusalem, took branches of palm-trees, 
and went forth to meet Him, and cried : Hosanna, blessed 
is He that cometh in the name of the Lord, the King of 
Israel." (John xii. 12, 13.) 

Learn the mysterious meaning of these fresh, green 
boughs. The olive branches remind us of the sweet and 
happy peace which Christ, by His atonement, obtained 
for redeemed and reconciled creation. The palm 
branches signify the glorious victory of Christ, and our 
victory through Him over sin, hell, and death. Such, 
too, is the meaning of the green branches, blessed by the 
Church each year, on Palm Sunday, with great solemnity, 
to be afterward borne in procession, and then kept in 
the homes of the faithful as an effective protection 
against the dangers of soul and body. 



Jesus enters Jerusalem. 139 

By this entry of Jesus into Jerusalem was fulfilled the 
prophecy of Zacharias: " Rejoice greatly, O daughter of 
Sion, shout for joy, O daughter of Jerusalem : behold 
thy king will come to thee poor, and riding upon an ass, 
and upon a colt the foal of an ass." (Zach. ix. 9.) 

But, alas, how fickle is human nature, how changeable 
the human heart! To-day the people give their long- 
expected Messias a triumphant reception, and after five 
short days these same people, who now shout hosannas 
in His favor, will cry out: "Crucify Him!" Our all- 
seeing Lord foresees this in the midst of the rejoicing, 
and He begins to grow sad and to weep, and says, look- 
ing at the fair city before Him : " If thou also hadst 
known, and that in this thy day, the things that are to 
thy peace ; but now they are hidden from thy eyes. For 
the days shall come upon thee, and thy enemies shall 
cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round and 
straiten thee on every side, and beat thee flat to the 
ground, and thy children who are in thee: and they shall 
not leave in thee a stone upon a stone, because thou hast 
not known the time of thy visitation." (Luke xix. 
42-44.) 

Once before, Our Saviour had pronounced a similar 
ominous prediction about Jerusalem, and in bitter an- 
guish of heart had said: "Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou 
that killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent 
unto thee, how often would I have gathered together thy 
children, as the hen doth gather her chickens under her 
wings, and thou wouldst not! Behold, your house shall 
be left unto you desolate." (Matt, xxiii, 37, 38.) Now 



Jesus enters Jerusalem. 



the hour is at hand when the ill-fated city will complete 
its crime by laying violent hands on the greatest of all 
the prophets, the Son of God Himself. And whilst the 
triumphant hosannas of the excited crowd are ringing in 
His ears, the whole dreadful picture of impending 
treachery, of imminent ruin and death, stands out clearly 
before His mental vision. 

After weepingly contemplating the city for a while, 
Jesus proceeded through the valley of Josaphat to the 
golden gate, called thus from the gold leaf with which it 
was covered. It was on Mount Moria, to the east of the 
Temple, and opened on the shortest way to the latter. 
On account of its proximity to the Temple it was consid- 
ered one of its gates, rather than an approach to the city. 
Usually it was closed. When the people, on the occa- 
sion of Our Lord's triumphant entry, stood still before 
its closed portals, the latter opened spontaneously at the 
approach of Jesus, to admit Him into the city. Although 
the golden gate was next to the Temple, He did not go to 
the latter at once, but rode through the principal streets 
of the city, to be seen and honored by all the inhabitants. 
"And when Jesus was come into Jerusalem, the whole 
city was moved, saying: Who is this? And the people 
said: This is Jesus the prophet, from Nazareth, in Gali- 
lee." (Matt. xxi. to, ii.) 

What were the feelings of the high-priests and scribes 
and Pharisees at these demonstrations? Only a few 
months before they had published a decree, forbidding 
the people to call Christ the Messias, and now the whole 
populace went out to greet Him as such ! Scarcely a week 



Jesus enfers Jerusalem, 



before they had proclaimed that any one knowing the 
place of His abode should manifest it, so that they might 
take Him captive : and now He rode triumphantly before 
their eyes, and they were unable to do anything against 
Him ! 

" And Jesus went into the Temple of God, and cast out 
all them that sold and bought in the Temple, and over- 
threw 7 the tables of the money-changers, and the chairs of 
them that sold doves ; and He saith to them : My house 
shall be called the house of prayer; but you have made 
it a den of thieves." (Matt. xxi. 12, 13.) The zeal 
which Our Saviour showed against the profanation of 
His Father's house ought to put every Christian upon 
his guard against all unseemly behavior in the place of 
divine worship. Our churches are infinitely more holy 
than was the Temple of Jerusalem ; they are in a special 
manner sanctified by the presence of God, who dwells 
therein. Jesus, who showed such zeal for His Father's 
honor in the Temple of Jerusalem, cannot be indifferent 
to the dishonor that is shown Him in a Christian church 
by the irreverence of those whose conduct there is unbe- 
coming the sanctity of His house; nor can we doubt 
that He will one day punish the offence with the severity 
it deserves. 

After Jesus had thus purified the sacred place, " there 
came to Him the blind and the lame in the Temple, and 
He healed them. And the chief priests and scribes, see- 
ing the wonderful things that He did, and the children 
crying in the Temple, and saying: 4 Hosanna to the Son 
of David,' were moved with indignation, and said to 



142 



Jesus enters Jerusalem. 



Him: Hearest Thou what these say? And Jesus said to 
them : Yea ; have you never read : Out of the mouth of 
infants and of sucklings Thou hast perfected praise?" 
(Matt. xxi. 14-16.) 

Meanwhile, the crowds gathered about Jesus in the 
Temple, and raising His eyes to heaven, He prayed, and 
said : " Father, glorify Thy name ! A voice therefore 
came from heaven : I have both glorified it and will glor- 
ify it again. The multitude therefore that stood and 
heard, said that it thundered. Others said: An angel 
spoke to Him. Jesus answered and said: This voice 
came not because of Me, but for your sakes." (John xii. 
28-30.) Thus did the heavenly Father glorify His be- 
loved Son, thereby signifying to the Jews and Gentiles 
that He was the promised Messias. Do thou, too, praise 
and glorify Him with angels and men, joining in the 
chorus : " Blessed is He who cometh in the name of the 
Lord!" 

On Palm Sunday, our blessed Lord, in His mercy and 
love, made a final effort to soften the stony hearts of the 
Jews. In deep humility, and overflowing with sympathy 
and compassion for man, He had come publicly into their 
city, had performed miracles before their eyes in the 
Temple, curing the lame and the blind, had preached to 
them all day, and had Himself and His doctrine con- 
firmed by a miraculous voice from heaven. And what 
were the fruits of this day of grace? Alas, how inde- 
scribably sad the results of His efforts! The scribes and 
the Pharisees were more hardened than ever in their in- 
credulity, while the few who did believe were too cow- 



Christ and Mary Magdalen. 



Jesus enters Jerusalem. 



U3 



ardly to avow their faith openly. Amongst this vast as- 
sembly of the great and wealthy Jerusalem, not one was 
found to offer shelter or food to Our Saviour when the 
day was over. He was therefore compelled to return to 
Bethania. and seek hospitality with His friend Lazarus 
and his devoted sisters. " And leaving them. He went 
out of the city into Bethania, and remained there." 
(John xxi. 17.) 



CHAPTER XV. 



THE BARREN FIG-TREE. VARIOUS PARABLES. PREDICTION 

OF THE DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM. 

T~" ARLY next morning — Monday — Jesus and His dis- 



ciples started for Jerusalem, and the keen air made 
Him hungry. The little valley of Bethany was famous 
for its dates and figs, for the very name of Bethany 
means "the place for dates,'' while Bethphage is "the 
place for the green or winter fig," a variety which re- 
mains on the trees through the winter, ripening only after 
the leaves fall. It was not yet time for the fig harvest, 
but some of the previous year's fruit might, no doubt, be 
found on some of the trees. One tree, especially, at- 
tracted the notice of Jesus. It grew by the roadside, as 
common property, and, even thus early, when other fig- 
trees had scarcely begun to turn green, was conspicuous 
by its young leaves. When He had come to it, however, 
they proved its only boast: there was no fruit of the year 
before, as might have been naturally expected. It was, 
indeed, the type of a fair profession without performance: 
of the hypocrisy which has only leaves and no fruit. 
"And He saith to it: May no fruit grow on thee hence- 
forward forever. And immediately the fig-tree withered 
away." (Matt. xxi. 19.) 




Parables of Jesus. 



The holy Fathers remark that on this occasion Christ 
intended to inculcate the lesson that it is not sufficient to 
abstain from sin, but that we must also bring forth the 
fruit of good works. 

" And when He was come into the Temple, there came 
to Him as He was teaching the chief priests and ancients 
of the people, saying: By what authority dost Thou these 
things? And who hath given Thee this authority? 
Jesus answering said to them : I also will ask you one 
word, which if you tell Me, I will also tell you by what 
authority I do these things. The baptism of John, 
whence was it? From heaven or from men? . . . And 
answering they said : AYe know not. He also said to 
them : Neither do I tell you by what authority I do 
these things." (Matt. xxi. 23-27.) The purpose of these 
and similar questions was to ensnare Christ in His 
speech: but He was so circumspect in His answers that 
they were confounded, and left the Temple. 

On the night between Monday and Tuesday, the hos- 
pitable home of Lazarus and his sisters afforded shelter 
to Our Lord, as it also did on the two previous and the 
two succeeding nights. On Tuesday morning, when 
Jesus again went to Jerusalem with His disciples, St. 
Peter, as they passed the fig-tree on which He had sought 
fruit the clay before, exclaimed in wonder: "Rabbi, be- 
hold the fig-tree which Thou didst curse is withered 
away." (Mark xi. 21.) This gave Our Lord an oppor- 
tunity of impressing on the apostles a truth which, above 
all others, He had sought to fix in their hearts during 
His three years' intercourse with them, namely, that, as 
10 



146 



Parables of Jesus. 



His apostles, commissioned to establish and spread His 
kingdom, they would be able, if they had unswerving 
faith, to overcome all difficulties. " And Jesus answer- 
ing, saith to them : Have faith in God. Amen I say to 
you, that whosoever shall say to this mountain : Be thou 
removed, and be cast into the sea, and shall not stagger 
in his heart, but believe that whatsoever he saith shall be 
done, it shall be done unto him." (Mark xi. 22, 23.) 
Bv this He intended to convey to them the lesson : 
" Have firm trust in God. Believe Me, if you have such 
faith, and let neither doubt nor wavering enfeeble it, you 
will be able hereafter to do not only such things as you 
have seen done to this tree, but, to use the expression of 
the rabbis when they speak of overcoming the greatest 
difficulties or of achieving the most unlikely ends, you 
will be able, as it were, to bid this mountain rise and 
cast itself into the sea. All depends, however, on your 
faith being simple and undoubting, for anything less dis- 
honors God. He who has such childlike trust in Him 
may confidently expect his prayer to be heard." 

Then He entered the Temple, and preached to the 
throngs which gathered about Him. This being the last 
day on which He intended to teach in public, He re- 
mained all day in the Temple, and spoke on a variety of 
subjects, mostly in parables. 

" And He began to speak to them in parables: A cer- 
tain man planted a vineyard and made a hedge about it, 
and dug a place for the wine vat. and built a tower, and 
let it to husbandmen, and went into a far country. And 
at the season he sent to the husbandmen a servant to re- 



Parables of Jesus. 



U7 



ceive of the fruit of the vineyard. Who having laid 
hands on him, beat him, and sent him away empty. 
And again he sent to them another servant, and him they 
wounded in the head and used him reproachfully. And 
again he sent another, and him they killed: and many 
others, of whom some they beat, and others they killed. 
Therefore having yet one son most dear to him, he also 
sent him unto them last of all, saying: They will rever- 
ence my son. But the husbandmen said one to another: 
This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheri- 
tance shall be ours. And laying hold on him, they 
killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard. What, 
therefore, will the lord of the vineyard do? He will 
come and destroy those husbandmen, and will give the 
vineyard to others." (Mark xii. 1-9.) 

The chief priests thus addressed could not, in the 
presence of the listening crowd, refuse the only possible 
answer suggested by the parable, thus condemning them- 
selves and pronouncing their own sentence. 

And continuing, Jesus said: "Have you not read this 
scripture: The stone which the builders rejected, the 
same is made the head of the corner? By the Lord hath 
this been done, and it is wonderful in our eyes?' 7 (Mark 
xii. 10, 11.) His meaning was clear: the corner-stone of 
the kingdom of God, of which those in His presence 
claimed to be the chief men, was, in their own mode of 
speech, only a figurative name for the Messias, on whom 
its existence and completion depended, as a building de- 
pends on its foundation and support. This was His own 
explanation of the parable : " Therefore I say to you, that 



148 



Parables of Jesus, 



the kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and shall 
be given to a nation yielding the fruits thereof. And 
whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken : but 
on whomsoever it shall fall, it shall grind him to pow- 
der." (Matt. xxi. 43, 44.) The first open attempt at 
violence followed this parable. " And they sought to lay 
hands on Him : but they feared the people. For they 
knew that He spoke this parable to them. And leaving 
Him, they went their way." (Mark xii. 12.) 

Left in peace, our divine Lord once more calmly be- 
took Himself to His task of teaching all that would hear 
Him. Full of holy indignation at the hypocrisy and wil- 
ful blindness of His adversaries, no less than of compas- 
sion for the multitude, He could not repress the crowding 
thoughts which the last hours had raised in His soul, and, 
as usual, they found expression in additional parables. 

''The kingdom of heaven," He began, 4 * is likened to 
a king who made a marriage for his son. And he sent 
his servants to call them that were invited to the mar- 
riage: and they would not come. Again he sent other 
servants, saying: Tell them that were invited: Behold I 
have prepared my dinner, my beeves and fatlings are 
killed, and all things are ready : come ye to the mar- 
riage. But they neglected and went their ways, one to 
his farm, and another to his merchandise, and the rest 
laid hands on his servants, and having treated them 
contumeliously, put them to death. But when the king 
had heard of it, he was angry : and sending his armies, 
he destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. 
Then he saith to his servants: The marriage is indeed 



Parables of Jesus. 



149 



ready; but they that were invited were not worthy. Go 
ye therefore into the highways, and as many as you shall 
find, call to the marriage. And his servants going forth 
into the ways, gathered together all that they found, both 
bad and good: and the marriage was filled with guests. 
And the king went in to see the guests: and he saw there 
a man who had not on a wedding garment. And he saith 
to him: Friend, how earnest thou in hither not having on 
a wedding garment? But he was silent. Then the king 
said to the waiters: Bind his hands and feet, and cast 
him into the exterior darkness: there shall be weeping 
and gnashing of teeth. For many are called, but few are 
chosen." (Matt. xxii. 1-14.) 

This parable was to add force to those just addressed 
to the priests and chiefs, but with various additional les- 
sons. The people of Jerusalem were again reminded that 
when the kingdom of the Messias should be established 
in its glory, God would call the heathen to a share in it, 
while Israel, which as a nation had rejected His repeated 
invitations, w T ould no longer be the one people of God. 
He closed His impressive discourse with the memorable 
words: "Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the 
prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee, how 
often would I have gathered together thy children, as the 
hen doth gather the chickens under her wings, and thou 
wouldst not! Behold your house shall be left to you 
desolate.'" (Matt, xxiii. 37, 38.) 

After the multiplied emotions of the last hours, Jesus 
sat down to rest, over against the treasury, where the con- 
tinuous stream of persons casting in their money neces- 



Parables of Jesus, 



sarily attracted His notice. Among others came a poor 
widow. "And she cast in two mites, which make a far- 
thing. And calling His disciples together. He saith to 
them : Amen I say to you, this poor widow hath cast in 
more than all they who have cast into the treasury. 
For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of 
her want cast in all she had, even her whole living." 
(Mark xii. 42-44.) 

Nothing in these last discourses of Jesus had seemed 
more strange and inexplicable to the apostles than His 
reference to Jerusalem. As they now passed with Him 
through the outer courts of the Temple, overpowered by 
the vast magnitude of the buildings, they called His at- 
tention thereto. " And He answering, said to them : Do 
you see all these things? Amen I say to you, there shall 
not be left a stone upon a stone that shall not be de- 
stroyed." (Matt. xxiv. 2.) Then He went with them to 
the Mount of Olives. Sitting down on a knoll, to enjoy 
the magnificent view 7 , the apostles had Moria once more 
before them in its whole glory, crowned by the marble 
Temple, like a mountain with snow. Their thoughts 
still ran on the words in which He had doomed it to de- 
struction, and they addressed Him, saying: " Tell us 
when these things shall be, and what shall be the sign 
of Thy coming, and of the consummation of the world.' 7 
(Matt. xxiv. 3.) 

"And Jesus answering, said to them: Take heed that 
no man seduce you. For many will come in My name, 
saying: I am Christ: and they will seduce many. And 
you shall hear of wars, and rumors of wars. See that ye 



Parables of Jesus. 



be not troubled; for these things must come to pass, but 
the end is not yet; for nation shall rise against nation, 
and kingdom against kingdom; and there shall be pesti- 
lences, and famines, and earthquakes in places : now all 
these are the beginning of sorrows. Then shall they 
deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall put you to death: 
and you shall be hated by all nations for My name's 
sake. And then shall many be scandalized, and shall 
betray one another, and shall hate one another. And 
many false prophets shall rise, and shall seduce many. 
And because iniquity hath abounded, the charity of many 
shall grow cold: but he that shall persevere to the end, 
he shall be saved. And this Gospel of the kingdom shall 
be preached in the whole world, for a testimony to all 
nations: and then shall the consummation come. When, 
therefore, you shall see the abomination of desolation, 
which was spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in 
the holy place, he that readeth let him understand: then 
they that are in Judea, let them flee to the mountains: 
and he that is on the housetop, let him not come down to 
take anything out of his house : and he that is in the 
field, let him not go back to take his coat. And woe to 
them that are with child, and that give suck in those 
days. But pray that your flight be not in the winter, or 
on the Sabbath: for there shall be then great tribulation, 
such as hath not been from the beginning of the world 
until now, and neither shall be. And unless those days 
had been shortened, no flesh should be saved: but for 
the sake of the elect those days shall be shortened. 
Then if any man shall say to you : Lo, here is Christ, or 



152 Parables of Jesus, 

there: do not believe him. For there shall arise false 
Christs and false prophets, and shall show great signs and 
wonders, insomuch as to deceive ( if possible) even the 
elect. Behold I have told it to you beforehand. If 
therefore the) T shall say to you: Behold He is in the des- 
ert, go ye not out: Behold He is in the closets, believe it 
not. For as lightning cometh out of the east, and ap- 
peareth even into the west: so shall also the coming of 
the Son of man be. Wheresoever the body shall be, 
there shall the eagles also be gathered together. And im- 
mediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun 
shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, 
and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of 
heaven shall be moved: and then shall appear the sign 
of the Son of man in heaven : and then shall all 
tribes of the earth mourn : and they shall see the Son of 
man coming in the clouds of heaven with much power 
and majesty. And He shall send His angels with a 
trumpet, and a great voice : and they shall gather together 
His elect from the four winds, from the farthest parts of 
the heavens to the utmost bounds of them. And from the 
fig-tree learn a parable : when the branch thereof is now 
tender, and the leaves come forth, you know that summer 
is nigh. So you also, when you shall see all these 
things, know ye that it is nigh even at the doors. Amen 
I say to you, that this generation shall not pass till all 
these things be done. Heaven and earth shall pass, but 
My words shall not pass. But of that day and hour no 
one knoweth. no not the angels of heaven, but the Father 
alone." (Matt. xxiv. 4-36.) 



Parables of Jesus, 



153 



And cautioning the apostles to watch. Jesus spoke the 
parable: "Then shall the kingdom of heaven be like to 
ten virgins, who taking their lamps went out to meet the 
bridegroom and the bride. And rive of them were fool- 
ish, and five wise. But the five foolish, having taken 
their lamps, did not take oil with them : but the wise 
took oil in their vessels with the lamps. And the bride- 
groom tarrying, they all slumbered and slept. And at 
midnight there was a cry made: Behold the bridegroom 
cometh, go ye forth to meet him. Then all those virgins 
arose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said 
to the wise: Give us of your oil, for our lamps are gone 
out. The wise answered, saying: Lest perhaps there be 
not enough for us and for you, go you rather to them that 
sell, and buy for yourselves. Xow, whilst they went to 
buy the bridegroom came, and they that were ready went 
in with him to the marriage, and the door was shut. But 
at last came also the other virgins, saying: Lord. lord, 
open to us. But he answering, said : Amen I say to you, 
I know you not. Watch ye. therefore, for you know not 
the day nor the hour." (Matt. xxv. 1-13.) 

As the lamps of the foolish virgins went out for want 
of oil, so does the light of faith die in our hearts, if not 
nourished by good works. Let no one deceive himself 
by saying: I will hold fast the faith in my heart, but as 
for the practice of piety, mortification, moderation, mild- 
ness, and chastity, I will wait till I am older. That is 
deceiving ourselves. Without good works, without un- 
ceasing and earnest effort to obtain true holiness, your 
faith will wither, whether you wish it or not. Hence we 



154 Parables of Jesus. 

are e arned by Our Saviour always to have the oil of good 
works in readiness, so that when He summons us to the 
judgment-seat, we may come into His presence with 
lamps flaming with a brilliant, God-pleasing faith. Oth- 
erwise the door will be closed against us, with the dread 
sentence in our ears: " Verily, I know you not.'" 



CHAPTER XVI. 



THE JEWS LAY PLANS TO PUT JESUS TO DEATH. JUDAS 

ISCARIOT OFFERS TO DELIVER HIM TO THEM. — JESUS 
MAKES KNOWN HIS SUFFERINGS AND DEATH TO HIS 
MOTHER MARY. 

HAVING ended His discourse, Jesus reminded His 
disciples of the approaching Passover: '''You 
know that after two days shall be the Pasch, and the Son 
of man shall be delivered up to be crucified." (Matt, 
xxvi. 2.) He had referred to His passion and death be- 
fore, even more explicitly, saying: ''The Son of man 
shall be betrayed to the chief priests and scribes, and 
they shall condemn Him to death, and shall deliver Him 
to the Gentiles to be mocked and scourged and crucified" 
(Matt. xx. 18, 19), but at that time they did not realize 
the import of His words. But now they were over- 
whelmed with grief. 

Meanwhile the chief priests were not idle. The act- 
ing high-priest. Caiphas, was the soul of the movement 
against Jesus: his words "that it was expedient that one 
man should die for the people,'" had first given definite 
expression and formal sanction to the idea of putting 
Him to death. But as yet no more could be done than 
watch, and take advantage of the course of events. 



i 5 6 



Plans to Put Jesus to Death, 



Among the twelve apostles was one, Judas Tscariot by 
name, whom Jesus had appointed purser, giving him the 
care of the funds which, to meet the expenses of each 
day, He accepted from His followers. The love of gain 
took possession of this trusted apostle's soul, and he be- 
came an embezzler. " Then went one of the twelve, who 
was called Judas tscariot, to the chief priests, and said 
to them: What will you give me, and I will deliver Him 
to you? But they appointed to him thirty pieces of sil- 
ver." (Matt. xxvi. 14, 15.) Only four days before mak- 
ing his detestable contract with the high-priests, Judas 
had objected to the generosity of Mary Magdalen when 
pouring a quantity of precious ointment on the feet of 
the Saviour, saying : " Why was not this ointment sold 
for three hundred pence, and given to the poor? Now 
he said this, not because he cared for the poor, but be- 
cause he was a thief, and having the purse, carried the 
things that were put therein." (John xii. 5, 6. ) The 
bounty of Mary Magdalen had sufficed to kindle smoul- 
dering resentment and disloyalty into a flame in the 
mean and sordid heart of Judas. Stealing out, therefore, 
from Bethany, unmoved by the divine love and purity of 
his Master, forgetful, in the blindness of his evil passion, 
of all he had seen and heard during the last three event- 
ful years, he made his way, in the darkness of night, to 
the chief priests, who received his offer with joy. But 
they bargained with him meanly enough: for they offered 
him for his villainy only thirty shekels, the price of a 
slave. But the covetousness of the traitor was fasci- 
nated by even so paltry a sum. He sold himself as their 



Plans to Put Jesus to Death. 157 

tool, and from that time sought a good opportunity to be- 
tray Jesus. 

The heart of Jesus must have been deeply grieved at 
the treachery which Judas was meditating against Him, 
for the gloom which it cast over His soul was reflected 
upon His usually serene and tranquil features. You will 
be able to understand, in a manner, the feelings of Jesus, 
if vou try to put yourself for a moment in your Redeem- 
er's place. Suppose you have a friend whom you ten- 
derly love, and for whom vou have done numberless acts 
of kindness, which entailed much inconvenience and 
self-sacrifice. You have always taken his part in troub- 
les and difficulties, defended him in danger, and be- 
friended him in every way. There have been no secrets 
between you, you have been to him what a true friend 
ought to be — the very half of his soul. Now, if, after 
all your trust and affection, he were to turn upon you and 
betray you, what pain would this dastardly conduct give 
your heart! It would stun you, and deprive you of 
words strong enough to give vent to your feelings. If 
anv one else had treated vou a thousandfold more con- 
tumeliously, you would not have minded it; if your ene- 
my had done so, you would not have wondered thereat: 
such conduct might have been expected from him. But 
for a friend, and such a friend, to be guilty of the like 
baseness, quite vanquishes you, takes away the very 
power to defend yourself, and makes you feel like giving 
vent to your grief in tears. 

Think, therefore, of the unutterable anguish which the 
treachery of Judas caused Jesus. What friend ever loved 



i 5 8 



Plans to Put Jesus to Death. 



another as He loved that wretched man ? He chose him 
for one of His apostles; for well-nigh three years He ad- 
mitted him to His closest intimacy: day by day He 
spoke to him and taught him, and explained to him the 
mysteries of the kingdom of God. He allowed him to 
witness many of His most astounding miracles: He gave 
him power, in common with the other apostles, to perform . 
miracles. Yet, notwithstanding all these favors, the un- 
happy apostle's heart conceived the design of selling that 
loving Master, who had done so much for him, and who 
loved him so tenderly. 

From this we may conclude that the sins of those who 
have received signal favors from God cause the Sacred 
Heart of Jesus more acute suffering than the transgres- 
sions of men who have not experienced such exceptional 
bounty. If you find, upon reflection, that you are among 
the number of these, be ashamed of your ingratitude and 
heartless treachery to your Lord and Master : and if in 
the past you have thoughtlessly sold His love and friend- 
ship for the sake of a paltry .gain or a fleeting gratifica- 
tion of your evil inclinations, promise that you will for 
the future prove yourself worthy of His love and friend- 
ship by unswerving loyalty which will keep with scrupu- 
lous exactitude all the commands of His law. 

Whilst Judas and the high-priests were clasping hands 
in their work of death. Jesus and His Mother were in 
Bethania. On the Wednesday of His passion-week, 
Mary sat alone in a room with her beloved Son, and 
after a long period of silence, she ventured with a moth- 
er's confidence to tell Him how sad and anxious her 



Jesus Makes His Sufferings Known to Mary. 159 

heart was, saying: " My dearly beloved Son, though I am 
not worthy to speak to Thee, yet, as Thou art my Son. I 
shall avail myself of a mother's privilege, and ask some- 
thing which I am confident Thou wilt not refuse." 

"Thou art dear to My heart, [Mother." replied Jesus, 
" and thou knowest that I always cherished a son's affec- 
tion for thee. Tell Me, then, what thou wouldst ask: I 
shall not refuse thee." 

"I know well/ 5 rejoined Mary. " that Thou hast been 
sent by the Father to redeem the world, and I also know, 
from the predictions of the prophets, that this redemp- 
tion is to be accomplished only by Thy sufferings and 
death. But the appointed time I do not know. Yet, as 
I have lately heard and seen, Thy enemies are now, more 
than ever, exasperated against Thee, and I have not been 
without dreadful apprehensions lest they should tear 
Thee unexpectedly from me, and before I could come to 
console Thee." 

"Kindest of mothers, Jesus said, "why fear such a 
thing? Thou shouldst know that I would not enter on 
My sufferings without giving thee notice." 

" I should know that, but I was afraid that Thou didst 
hesitate to tell me, lest I should be too much afflicted at 
the dreadful information.'* 

" Certainly, dearest Mother, I have not mentioned this 
sad affair sooner, because I knew that thy sufferings 
would be of too long duration even as it is. But now the 
time has come for Simeon's prophecy to be fulfilled, and 
thy heart, alas, to be pierced by the sharp sword of grief. 
I will, therefore, now tell thee all that is necessary for 



i6o Jesics Makes His Sufferings Known to Mary. 

thee to know, but I beseech thee not to repine or be over- 
come with grief." 

" O my Son, although the recital rend my heart with 
pain, yet I beg Thee to tell me all; for I feel that it will 
be some consolation to know when and how Thou art to 
suffer.' 3 

" Best and most loving of mothers, although but little 
worldly happiness has fallen to our lot during life, yet 
all our joys will now be changed into bitter sorrow, for I 
can remain with thee only till to-morrow morning, when 
I must leave thee and go to Jerusalem. To-morrow night 
I shall be in the hands of my enemies. I shall be bound 
with cords, dragged violently from one judge to another; 
I shall be cruelly scourged, crowned with thorns, mocked 
and spit upon. My enemies will place a heavy cross 
upon My shoulders, and lead Me in disgrace and shame 
through the streets of the city out to Mount Calvary, 
where they will nail Me to the cross." 

Alas, what a dreadful revelation this must have been 
to the tender heart of the Blessed Virgin ! Every word 
pierced her soul to its deepest recesses, carrying excru- 
ciating anguish and grief to every sense; so that she 
stood almost lifeless before Jesus, and unable to utter 
one word or even to breathe a sigh. 

Jesus, seeing her thus struck motionless and almost 
dead with grief and sorrow, said to her: "Most beloved 
and sorrowful Mother, why dost thou take it so much to 
heart? Woulclst thou that I should not drink the chalice 
which My Father has prepared for Me? Is My Father's 
will no longer thy will? Take courage, and submit thy 



Jesus Makes His Sufferings Known to Mary, 1 6 1 

will to that of our Father in heaven, and prepare thyself 
for the dreadful struggle before us." 

" O my beloved Child, how is it possible for me to re- 
press these tears? For although I am satisfied with the 
will of God, and perfectly reconciled to His providence, 
yet am I not Thy Mother? It is impossible for a moth- 
er's heart not to bleed at the sufferings of her child. O 
my beloved Son Jesus, I regret that I thus, by wailings 
and lamentations, must add to the weight of Thy cross; 
yet I cannot restrain these tears, I cannot suppress these 
sighs. Grant me the one request that I am going to 
ask." 

" Dearest Mother, thou knowest that I was always obe- 
dient and ready to do thy will in all things. Name thy 
request, and if not inconsistent with My Father's will, it 
shall be granted." 

" Beloved Child of my heart, Thou knowest how my 
heart is bound up in Thee, and how utterly impossible it 
is for me to be separated from Thee. And yet, God's 
will be done! I would beseech Thee not to choose so 
cruel and disgraceful a death as that of being crucified. 
Thou knowest that only the greatest malefactors are sub- 
jected to that kind of death. How dreadfully hard it 
would be for Thee to be thus scourged, crowned with 
thorns, and nailed to the cross. And yet one single drop 
of Thy blood would be sufficient to atone for all the sins 
ever committed. I implore Thee, then, not to undergo so 
dreadful a martyrdom, but to choose an easier death." 

" Dearly beloved Mother, divine justice requires that 
I should suffer the most excruciating pain and the most 
ii 



1 62 Jesus Makes His Sufferings Known to Mary. 

disgraceful death, in order that the sin of Adam and the 
sins of all men may be completely washed away. For 
just as sinners have presumed to dishonor My heavenly 
Father, so must I be dishonored and disgraced to the last 
degree. As sinners have committed sin with all the 
members of their body, so must I suffer in every member. 
As sinners have, by their sins, justly merited eternal and 
painful death, so must I, in order to save them from this 
death, undergo a cruel and torturous death. Such is the 
death predicted for Me long ages ago by the prophets, as 
thou hast often heard and read. And in order that the 
prophecies concerning My death may be fulfilled, it is 
My Father's will that I should redeem the world, not sim- 
ply by shedding one drop of blood, but by pouring out 
the whole of My heart's life-blood." 

Consider, O Christian soul, the profound grief of the 
Blessed Virgin, as she listened to these words of her be- 
loved Son. Unable to speak from her sighs and tears, 
burying her face in her hands, she fell upon her knees 
before Him. Filled with tenderest sympathy, Jesus 
placed His divine hand gently upon her head, and im- 
parted to her a miraculous strength, so that she recovered 
enough to raise her eyes to His, and to say : " Dearest 
Son, adorable Lord, be it done according to Thy word." 

On the following day, Jesus, having but little time to 
remain with His friends in Bethany, thus addressed 
them : " My dearest friends, the time having now arrived 
when I must go forth to do the will of My Father, I must 
take My leave of you. I thank you all sincerely for the 
kindness and friendship which you have ever shown to 



Jesus Makes His Sufferings Known to Mary. 163 

My disciples and to Me. My heavenly Father will re- 
ward you and compensate you a hundredfold for all the 
kind services you have rendered us. I thank you, good 
and devout women, who, from your slender means, have 
so faithfully and generously ministered to Me and to My 
poor disciples. To you, especially, Lazarus, Mary, and 
Martha, is My gratitude due: for you have often and 
cheerfully given shelter and a place of rest to My weary 
companions, and often generously given them to eat and 
drink when they were hungry and thirsty." 

Finally, Jesus turned toward His blessed Mother to say 
farewell to her, but both Mother and Son were so over- 
powered with emotion that for some minutes neither 
could utter a word. Whoever has witnessed the parting 
of two faithful and loving hearts when one goes forth to 
meet certain death, may form a slight and very imperfect 
conception of the harrowing grief which rent the hearts 
of Jesus and Mary in this trying hour. At last Our Sav- 
iour said to her: "Dearest Mother, I am grateful for all 
the motherly love, fidelity, and devotion which thou hast 
manifested to Me through a life of poverty and affliction. 
My heavenly Father Himself will one day be thy reward. 
He will repay thee for thy unswerving fidelity to Me, who 
am His Son and thine." 

Here, devout reader, try to comprehend the solemn 
effect of these farewell words upon the soul of Our Lord's 
blessed Mother and the other personages of this little 
group. All were in tears as Mary said: "Beloved Son, 
adorable Lord, may the will of God be done." Then our 
blessed Lord went forth with His apostles to Jerusalem, 



164 Jesus Makes His Sufferings Known to Mary. 

there to accomplish the greatest of mysteries, the atone- 
ment for man's sin. 

This beautiful, simple, and graphic description of the 
farewell scene between Jesus and His mother must, of 
course, not be taken literally as having happened thus; 
it is a pious meditation, from which devout and childlike 
souls will derive much profit and salutary edification. 



CHAPTER XVII. 



THE LAST SUPPER. 

THE Jewish Passover was a rite prescribed by the 
Mosaic Law in remembrance of the delivery of the 
Israelites from the power of Pharao. Each family, says 
the sacred text (Exod. xii.), shall take, on the tenth day 
of the first month, a lamb, and on the fourteenth day 
shall sacrifice it in the evening, and sprinkle the doors 
of their houses with the blood thereof; that night they 
shall eat the flesh roasted at the fire, with unleavened 
bread and wild lettuce. While they eat it they shall 
stand with their clothes girt up, with shoes on their feet, 
and staves in their hands, like travellers ready for their 
journey. The obedient Israelites punctually fulfilled 
every circumstance of the order. On the same night God 
sent His exterminating angel into every house in Egypt 
that was not sprinkled with the blood of the lamb, and 
slew every first-born, both of man and of beast. The 
consternation was universal, and Pharao, terror-stricken, 
bade the Israelites go. In commemoration of this event, 
the Jews were commanded to sacrifice and eat, every year, 
the paschal lamb, on the feast of Easter. Five days be- 
fore the feast they selected the lamb, washed it, and 
decked it with flowers. Toward three o'clock in the af- 

165 



The Last Supper. 



ternoon on Easter eve, they assembled, and the head of 
the household, dressed in holiday garb, killed the lamb 
and sprinkled the door-posts with the blood. Then the 
carcass was roasted whole on a spit, but the entrails were 
roasted by themselves. Now the members of the house- 
hold put on their best shoes, girded themselves, and took 
staves, made expressly for this purpose, into their hands. 
Then the lamb was brought in on a large dish, amid great 
ceremonies, and those present went around it, singing the 
117th Psalm, which begins with the words : " Give praise 
to the Lord, for He is good: for His mercy endureth for- 
ever." Finally, the head of the household carved the 
lamb, taking great care not to break a bone, and helped 
all present. Adding wild lettuce and unleavened bread, 
they ate hastily, and were not permitted to lay aside their 
staves until the paschal lamb was entirely eaten. Then 
they seated themselves, and a regular meal was served, of 
which they joyfully partook, praising God. The ancient 
Jewish ceremonial prescribed that, before carving the 
paschal lamb, the head of the household should cut in 
two a loaf of unleavened bread, and place one-half of it 
beneath the tablecloth. After the meal was over, he took 
this latter half, and cut it up into as many pieces as there 
were guests at the table (and there were never to be less 
than ten), and gave each one a piece, saying: "This 
is the bread of tribulation which our fathers ate in 
Egypt." Then he took a cup and blessed it, saying: 
" Blessed art Thou, O God, for having created for us the 
fruit of the vine." After drinking, he gave the cup to 
his neighbor, saying: ''This is the cup of tribulation 




Christ Blessing Little Children. 



The Last Supper. 



167 



which our fathers drank in Egypt." And each one suc- 
cessively drank of the cup. Then they rose, and sang 
what was called the great Alleluja, viz., six psalms, be- 
ginning with the 1 1 2th and ending with the 117th Psalm. 
Thus did the Jews praise God and thank Him for their 
deliverance from Egypt. 

After this manner Our Lord, too, ate the paschal lamb, 
and fulfilled, as the Gospel observes, all the ceremonies. 
" Now on the first day of the unleavened bread when they 
sacrifice the Pasch, the disciples say to Him: Whither 
wilt Thou that we go and prepare for Thee to eat the 
Pasch? And He sendeth two of His disciples, and saith 
to them : Go ye into the city : and there shall meet you 
a man carrying a pitcher of water; follow him: and 
whithersoever he shall go in, say to the master of the 
house : The Master saith : Where is My refectory, where 
I may eat the Pasch with My disciples? And he will 
show you a large dining-room furnished: and there pre- 
pare ye for us. And His disciples went their way, and 
came into the city : and they found as He had told them, 
and they prepared the Pasch." (Mark xiv. 12-16.) 

According to an ancient tradition, the house in which 
our blessed Lord celebrated the Last Supper belonged to 
St. Mark. It was in this same room that the apostles 
were assembled after their divine Master's death: and 
here, too, He appeared to them on the evening of His 
resurrection. Here He instituted the great sacraments of 
the Most Holy Eucharist and Penance: here, on Pente- 
cost, the Holy Ghost descended on the apostles. This 
highly privileged house, in which so many mysteries of 



The Last Supper, 



faith were accomplished, was afterward converted into a 
church, and called the Chapel of Sion. 

To this house, then, Our Lord came with the apostles, 
in the evening, when it was time to eat the paschal lamb. 
The master of the house came to meet Him, and greeted 
Him, saying: "Welcome, dear Master! I rejoice at the 
honor Thou dost bestow upon me by selecting my house 
for the feast of the Pasch." And Jesus replied : "This 
day is salvation come to this house, for it shall be hon- 
ored throughout all times." 

Then the paschal lamb, washed and decked with flow- 
ers, was brought in. The divines say that, as Christ was 
the Master of the apostles and the head of this family, it 
devolved upon Him to sacrifice the lamb. This having 
been done, and the blood caught in a basin, Our Lord 
sprinkled the door-posts, according to law. Whilst the 
lamb was skinned and roasted, He was reminded of the 
scourging He was to undergo on the morrow, and of His 
crucifixion. 

The paschal lamb was brought in on a costly salver, 
fashioned out of a smaragd, and preserved to this day in 
the city of Genoa, in Italy. Christ then performed all 
the ceremonies of the ritual, and said : " With desire have 
I desired to eat this Pasch with you before I suiter.'" 
(Luke xxii. 15.) Imagine the sorrow of the apostles at 
these words, indicating to them, as they did. that this 
was the last meal they were to take in His company. 
But Our Lord rejoiced: for He was about to suppress 
forever the well-nigh insupportable yoke of the old dis- 
pensation, and to replace it by the new and sweet yoke of 



The Last Supper. 



169 



the law of grace. Because this was a great work, and 
the principal reason why He had come from heaven, and 
foreseeing that all Christendom would give thanks to 
Him for it until the end of time, therefore He now re- 
joiced with all His heart. 

Having eaten the paschal lamb, they all set aside their 
staves, removed their shoes, and took off their girdles, 
and seated themselves at the table for the customary 
meal, prepared for them, no doubt, by the master of the 
house. St. Bonaventure says, that not only the twelve 
apostles, but also many of the seventy-two disciples and 
other friends of Christ were present, waiting at the table 
and serving Christ. His countenance beamed with joy, 
and the apostles were gla'd to see their Master so cheer- 
ful. 

" And when the supper was done, the devil having now 
put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, to 
betray Him, knowing that the Father had given all things 
into His hands, and that He came from God and goeth to 
God : He riseth from supper, and layeth aside His gar- 
ments, and having taken a towel, girded Himself. After 
that He putteth water into a basin, and began to wash 
the feet of the disciples, and to wipe them with the towel 
wherewith He was girded/' (John xiii. 2-5.) 

O stupendous humility ! Is this the supreme Lord of 
heaven and earth, to whom the Father hath given all 
things, and who cometh from God and goeth to God? 
If, then, He humbled Himself so far as to do for His 
creatures what many a servant would refuse to perform 
for his master, we ought not to shrink from a little hu- 



TJic Last Supper. 



miliation for His sake, who so deeply humbled Himself 
for us. But in addition to humility, there is another les- 
son, and perhaps a still more important one, which this 
act of Our Lord teaches us. 

He was about to give His apostles His own body and 
blood. It was, therefore, necessary that they should be 
spotlessly pure, in order that the sanctity of God might 
find in them nothing defiled. This was what Our Lord 
desired to intimate to them by this extraordinary act. 
"He cometh therefore to Simon Peter: and Peter saith 
to Him: Lord, dost Thou wash my feet? Jesus an- 
swered, and said to him : What I do, thou knowest not 
now, but thou shalt know hereafter. Peter saith to Him: 
Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him : 
If I wash thee not, thou shalt have no part in Me. Si- 
mon Peter saith to Him: Lord, not only my feet, but 
also my hands and my head. Jesus saith to him: He 
that is washed needeth not but to wash his feet, and is 
clean wholly." (John xiii. 6-10.) 

In order to understand the answer of Our Lord, we 
must remember that among the Jews it was customary for 
all invited guests to bathe before coming to a banquet, 
and just before going to table to wash their feet, even in 
the house of their host, in order not to soil the cushions 
on which, according to the fashion of those days, they 
used to recline when at table. It is to this custom that 
Jesus alludes in His reply to St. Peter: "He that is 
washed needeth not but to wash his feet." As if He 
wished to say : " You have already been washed from the 
iniquities of your past life in the waters of regeneration, 



The Last Supper, 



171 



and you need now be cleansed only from the dust on your 
feet, that is, from venial sins and imperfections, so as to 
be prepared to partake of the heavenly manna which I 
am about to give you." 

St. Peter then sat down and permitted Jesus to wash 
his feet. But who can conceive the feelings of embar- 
rassment under which he labored ? He was the one to 
whom "not flesh and blood, but the heavenly Father had 
revealed " that Christ is the Son of the living God. This 
clear and exalted knowledge of the divinity of Christ was 
incomparably superior to the knowledge that we possess 
through ordinary faith. Hence the humble man was 
frightened when he saw his Lord and God kneeling be- 
fore him and preparing to wash his feet. Tears streamed 
from his eyes and coursed rapidly down his cheeks. 
When Jesus, after having carefully dried Peter's feet with 
the towel, bent over them and kissed them with His sa- 
cred lips, St. Peter's heart was ready to burst with ex- 
cessive love, and he would at that moment have shed 
every drop of his blood, if necessary, for the sake of his 
blessed Redeemer. 

Having finished with St. Peter, Our Lord then pro- 
ceeded to render the same service to St. John, then to 
St. Andrew, St. James, and so on through all to the last. 
By this washing these privileged men were cleansed not 
only in body, but also purified in soul. For then was 
infused into their inner being such a true and vivid 
knowledge of their unworthiness, and such a heartfelt 
contrition for their past sins, that these sentiments of 
contrition were enough to obtain forgiveness. He also 



172 The Last Stepper. 

infused into them an inward light, by means of which 
they were enabled to understand clearly and appreciate 
fully their Saviour's infinite love and humility, as well 
as their own unworthiness to receive such an honor at 
His divine hands. 

Lastly, Jesus approached the traitor Judas, and knelt 
humbly before him. You have good reason, Christian 
soul, to look upon this part of the scene with sentiments 
of wonder, and to be vastly astonished at the humility 
and self-abasement of Jesus. The devil sits enthroned 
in the heart of Judas, and yet Christ, the Son of the liv- 
ing God, is on His knees before the disloyal disciple, 
before His treacherous enemy, offering him, by this mani- 
festation of tenderest love, one more chance to repent 
and abandon his diabolical project. Jesus places His 
blessed hands under the traitor's feet, kisses them, and 
then looks up into his evil face with a tender expression 
of friendship; but all in vain, the hard and flinty heart 
will not be softened, and the germ of malice will develop 
to the full in this darkened soul. 

" Then, after He had washed their feet, and taken His 
garments, being set down again, He said to them : Know 
you what I have done to you? You call Me Master and 
Lord, and you say well, for I am. If then I, being your 
Lord and Master, have washed your feet: you also ought 
to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an ex- 
ample, that as I have done to you, so do you also." 
(John xiii. 12-15.) 

Now the hour had come for that mystery of love, with- 
out accomplishing which Jesus would not leave the 



The Last Supper. 



173 



world, for " having loved His own in the world, He loved 
them unto the end.'' (John xiii. 1.) 

" And whilst they were at supper, Jesus took bread, 
and blessed, and broke, and gave to His disciples, and 
said : Take ye, and eat : This is My body. And taking 
the chalice, He gave thanks, and gave to them, saying: 
Drink ye all of this : for this is My blood of the New 
Testament, which shall be shed for many unto remission 
of sins. 7 ' (Matt. xxvi. 26-28.) After all had received 
the body and blood of Our Lord, Christ entrusted to them 
the mysterious power of consecrating His body and blood, 
as He had just done. For He said to them : " Do this 
for a commemoration of Me."' (Luke xxii. 19.) 

Then Christ again tried to impress the heart of the 
traitor. " When Jesus had said these things, He was 
troubled in spirit, and He testified and said: Amen, 
amen, I say to you, one of you shall betray Me." (John 
xiii. 21.) Consider how these words of Jesus are an ex- 
pression of His sadness at the traitor's atrocious deed. 
He was troubled in spirit that this soul should go to per- 
dition, therefore " He testified" that He had done His 
utmost to save the unhappy disciple. He said : " The 
Son of man indeed goeth, as it is written of Him; but 
woe to that man by whom the Son of man shall be be- 
trayed : it were better for him if that man had not been 
born." (Mark xiv. 21.) 

Imagine the consternation of the apostles when they 
heard that one of their number contemplated such treach- 
ery. " The disciples therefore looked upon one another, 
doubting of whom He spoke. Now there was leaning 



174 



The Last Supper. 



upon Jesus' bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus 
loved. Simon Peter therefore beckoned to him, and said 
to him: Who is it of whom He speaketh? He therefore 
leaning on the breast of Jesus saith to Him: Lord, who 
is it? Jesus answered: He it is to whom I shall reach 
bread dipped. And when He had dipped the bread, He 
gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. And after the 
morsel, Satan entered into him. And Jesus said to him: 
That which thou dost, do quickly. Now no man at the 
table knew to what purpose He said this unto him. For 
some thought, because Judas had the purse, that Jesus 
had said to him : Buy those things which we have need 
of for the festival day, or that he should give something 
to the poor. He therefore having received the morsel, 
went out immediately. And it was night." (John xiii. 
22-30.) 

Yes, it was night, a dark and gloomy night in the soul 
of the unfortunate, evil-minded Judas. The light of faith 
had gone out, the last spark of lcve was extinguished, and 
a dark, impenetrable night of spiritual blindness and ob- 
stinacy had settled down upon the soul of the most un- 
happy of men. 

When Judas was gone, Our Lord said : " Now is the 
Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in Him." 
(John xiii. 31.) By these words He intended to say : 
"Now the traitor who shall deliver Me to death is gone, 
and divine justice and mercy, and My love toward man- 
kind shall be made manifest/" Therefore He began to 
address them in words of kindness, saying: ''Little chil- 
dren, vet a while I am with vou. You shall seek Me; 



The Last Supper. 175 

and as I said to the Jews : Whither I go, you cannot 
come ; so I say to you now. A new commandment I 
give unto you : That you love one another, as I have 
loved you, that you also love one another. By this shall 
all men know that you are My disciples, if you have 
love for one another.'' (John xiii. 33-35.) 



CHAPTER XVIII. 



FAREWELL DISCOURSE AXD PRAYER OF JESUS. 

FTER the Last Supper Our Lord addressed to His 



l \ apostles a most touching discourse, in words the 
most pathetic and expressive of His love. " Let not your 
heart be troubled," He said, " because I go to the Father, 
and will prepare a place for you : for in My Father's 
house there are many mansions. You believe in God; 
believe also in Me. I will not leave you orphans; I 
will come again, and will take you to Myself, that where 
I am, you may also be. If you love Me, keep My com- 
mandments : he who loveth Me shall be loved by My 
Father, and I will love him. Whatsoever you shall ask 
the Father in My name, that I will do. Peace I leave 
with you: My peace I give unto you. I will ask the 
Father, and He will give you another Comforter, the 
Spirit of truth, who shall abide with you, and teach you 
all things." (John xiv.) 

The sublime parting words of Our Saviour abound in 
profound mysteries. Dearest Saviour, Thou art going 
to Thy Father, Thou art going by the way of the cross to 
Thy triumph, a way full of grace and good fortune to us. 
For by treading this way of the cross and going thus to 
Thy Father, Thou hast earned and secured for us the 




176 



Farewell Discourse of Jesus. 



177 



saving influence and interposition of the comforting 
Spirit, the Paraclete. By the perfection of the work of 
atonement, Thou hast rendered us competent to receive 
His sevenfold supernatural graces. 

Observe here, Christian soul, with what tenderness and 
delicacy Our Saviour prepares His apostles for the sad 
news that the hour of separation has at last come. He 
has already foretold to them the coming of the Holy 
Ghost, with His manifold graces and effects, the triumph 
of God's kingdom on earth, and their own admission into 
the realms of heaven. And now He uses less sorrowful 
words to communicate the painful information. 

"A little while, and now you shall not see Me: and 

again a little while, and you shall see Me, because I go 

to the Father. Then some of His disciples said one to 

another: What is this that He saith to us: A little while 

and you shall not see Me, and again a little while and 

you shall see Me, and, because I go to the Father? 

They said therefore: What is this that He saith, A little 

while? We know not what He speaketh. And Jesus 

knew that they had a mind to ask Him, and He said to 

them : Of this do you inquire among yourselves, because 

I said: A little while, and you shall not see Me, and 

again a little while, and you shall see Me. Amen, amen, 

I say to you, that you shall lament and weep, but the 

world shall rejoice: and you shall be made sorrowful, 

but your sorrow shall be turned into joy. A woman, 

when she is in labor, hath sorrow, because her hour is 

come : but when she hath brought forth the child, she 

remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is 
12 



178 



Farewell Discourse of Jesus. 



born into the world. So also now indeed vou have sor- 
row, but I will see you again, and your heart shall re- 
joice, and your joy no man shall take from you. And 
in that day you shall not ask Me anything. Amen, 
amen, I say to you : if you ask the Father anything in 
My name, He will give it you. Hitherto you have not 
asked anything in My name : Ask and you shall receive, 
that your joy may be full. These things I have spoken 
to you in proverbs. The hour cometh when I will speak 
no more to you in proverbs, but will show you plainly of 
the Father. In that day you shall ask in My name, and 
I say not to you that I will ask the Father for you : for 
the Father Himself loveth you, because you have loved 
Me, and have believed that I came out from God. I 
came forth from the Father, and am come into the world : 
again I leave the world, and I go to the Father. His 
disciples say to Him : Behold, now Thou speakest 
plainly, and speakest no proverb. Now we know that 
Thou knowest all things, and Thou needest not that any 
man should ask Thee. By this we believe that Thou 
comest forth from God. Jesus answered them : Do you 
now believe?" (John xvi. 16-31.) 

" Do you now believe?" Christian soul, do you thor- 
oughly understand the import of this sorrowful question 
of the Saviour? In a few hours it will become painfully 
evident that the faith of the apostles was not a living 
faith, not a faith to withstand trials and temptation. It 
has yet to be made such a faith, and will be made so by 
the coming of the Holy Ghost. 

Now that our beloved Redeemer, like a dying father, 



Farewell Discourse of Jesus. 



179 



had instructed His children, the apostles, in what was to 
take place after His death, He began the recital of that 
beautiful prayer, given to us by the holy evangelist St. 
John : 

"These things Jesus spoke: and lifting up His eyes to 
heaven, He said: Father, the hour is come, glorify Thy 
Son, that Thy Son may glorify Thee : As Thou hast 
given Him power over all flesh, that He may give eternal 
life to all whom Thou hast given Him. Now this is 
eternal life: That they may know Thee, the only true 
God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent. T have 
glorified Thee on the earth: I have finished the work 
which Thou gavest Me to do: and now glorify Thou Me, 
O Father, with Thyself, with the glory which I had, be- 
fore the world was, with Thee. I have manifested Thy 
name to the men whom Thou hast given Me out of the 
world : Thine they were, and to Me Thou gavest them : 
and they have kept Thy word. Now they have known 
that all things which Thou hast given Me are from Thee : 
because the words which Thou gavest Me, I have given 
to them : and thev have received them, and have known 
in very deed that I came out from Thee, and they have 
believed that Thou didst send Me. I pray for them : I 
pray not for the world, but for them whom Thou hast 
given Me : because they are Thine : and all My things 
are Thine, and Thine are Mine : and I am glorified in 
them. And now I am not in the world, and these are in 
the world, and I come to Thee. Holy Father, keep them 
in Thy name, whom Thou hast given Me : that they may 
be one, as We also are. While I was with them, I kept 



180 Farewell Discourse of Jesus. 

them in Thy name. Those whom Thou gavest Me have 
I kept: and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition, 
that the Scripture may be fulfilled. And now I come to 
Thee : and these things I speak in the world, that they 
may have My joy filled in themselves. I have given 
them Thy word, and the world hath hated them, because 
they are not of the world, as I also am not of the world. 
Sanctify them in truth. Thy word is truth. As Thou 
hast sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into 
the world. And for them do I sanctify Myself : that 
they also may be sanctified in truth. And not for them 
only do I pray, but for them also who through their 
word shall believe in Me: that they all may be one, as 
Thou, Father, in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may 
be one in Us: that the world may believe that Thou 
hast sent Me. And the glory which Thou hast given 
Me, I have given to them : that they may be one, as We 
also are one. I in them, and Thou in Me: that they 
may be made perfect in one : and the world may know 
that Thou hast sent Me, and hast loved them, as Thou 
hast also loved Me. Father, I will that where I am, 
they also whom Thou hast given Me may be with Me: 
that they may see My glory which Thou hast given Me, 
because Thou hast loved Me before the creation of the 
world. Just Father, the world hath not known Thee; 
but I have known Thee : and these have known that 
Thou hast sent Me. And I have made known Thy name 
to them, and will make it known: that the love where- 
with Thou hast loved Me may be in them, and I in 
them/' (John xvii.) 



Farewell Discourse of Jesus. 



181 



Many wise and learned men have endeavored to ex- 
plain this prayer. But how could they expect to suc- 
ceed? It is a pure ray of heaven's glory, a strain of ce- 
lestial sweetness: a truly spiritual soul may relish, a 
pure imagination may form some conception of it, but no 
mortal mind can fully explain it. It is a sublime mys- 
tery ; the believing heart may fathom its depth of mean- 
ing, but no created intellect can comprehend it. There- 
fore, fall humbly upon your knees, sign yourself rev- 
erently with the sign of the cross, and then, with deepest 
reverence, give yourself to its contemplation. 



CHAPTER XIX. 



JESUS IN THE GARDEN OF GETHSEMANI. 

THE time had now arrived when the first act of the 
great tragedy of the Passion of Our Lord was to 
begin. "When Jesus had said these things, He went 
forth with His disciples over the brook Cedron, where 
there was a garden, into which He entered with His dis- 
ciples." (John xviii. i.) "Then Jesus came with them 
to a country place which is called Gethsemani, and He 
said to His disciples: Sit you here, till I go yonder and 
pray. And taking with Him Peter and the two sons of 
Zebedee, He began to grow sorrowful and to be sad. 
Then He saith to them : My soul is sorrowful even unto 
death : stay you here, and watch with Me. And going a 
little further, He fell upon His face, praying, and saying: 
My Father, if it be possible, let this chalice pass from 
Me: nevertheless, not as I will, but as Thou wilt." 
(Matt. xxvi. 36-39.) 

This sadness was produced by the foreboding of that 
fearful storm of suffering and of cruel indignities that 
was about to burst upon Him. He experienced all that 
sinking of heart, that nervous, agonizing dread, that 
shuddering repugnance that men feel when they antici- 

182 



Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemanu 



183 



pate some great calamity that is impending over them. 
His sorrow was so great that the agony of it made Him 
exclaim : " My soul is sorrowful even unto death." There 
was before Him an awful night of indignities and out- 
rages, to be followed by a day of suffering so intense, 
that we shudder even now at the bare recital of it. He 
knew every incident that would happen ; He heard every 
taunt and gibe that would be spoken, and felt every blow 
that would be struck. He saw the mock trial, the blood- 
stained pillar, the ignominious cross, and the three hours 
of lingering agony. He endured beforehand every tor- 
ture of His bitter passion. 

Consider, Christian soul, that in this mental agony of 
Our Lord, as well as in all His other sufferings, each of 
us had a hand. The sins we have committed hovered 
around Him in the gloom of the olive-trees and glared 
upon Him like savage spectres. He saw them all. He 
knew that they were the creations of our wicked hearts, 
and prayed His Father to forgive us. 

The three apostles were well aware that Christ was 
overcome with sorrow, not only for His own sake, but on 
their account also. As He Himself revealed to a saintly 
soul, the blessed Baptista Yarani, He felt compassion for 
their present and future fate. " It was another sorrow," 
He said to her in a vision, "which deeply afflicted My 
soul, when I foresaw that My poor disciples would be 
dispersed, and that for My sake they would be subjected 
to all kinds of torture. I then saw how for the sake of 
My name one would be crucified, another scourged, a 
third beheaded. Thou mayst in part know what a pain 



184 Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemani. 



this caused Me when thou dost reflect how thou shouldst 
feel afflicted if a person whom thou lovest with holy affec- 
tion were to suffer intensely, and withal innocently, for 
thy sake. Now, as I was the cause of My disciples' 
suffering, I cannot describe to thee the pains I suffered 
on their account.' 7 

The place where Our Lord suffered His agony was a 
grotto, which served, probably, as an oil-press. It is 
still shown. A small, iron door in the west side leads 
into it. Its key is in the possession of the Franciscan 
Fathers. Eight steps lead clown into a sort of cave of 
irregular shape, which has been transformed into a chapel. 
Three pillars cut out of the rock sustain the ceiling, in 
which is an opening, covered by a wooden grating, which 
admits some light. The main altar is in the east, and 
on its right and left are side-altars, all three of marble, 
but of simple design. Beneath the table of the central 
altar are kept burning a number of costly lamps, which 
throw their light on a rosette bearing the inscription in 
Latin : " Here His sweat became as drops of blood trick- 
ling down upon the ground." Mass is celebrated in the 
chapel every day. 

Let us now consider Our Lord's petition. St. Mark 
says: " He fell flat on the ground: and He prayed that if 
it might be, the hour might pass from Him." (Mark 
xiv. 35.) Why does Christ pray that this hour might 
pass? Christian soul, if you would find the reason, just 
contemplate the appearance of your Redeemer. There 
He lies prostrate on the rough and cold ground. The 
burden of the sins of the whole world lies upon Him like 



Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemani. 



i8 5 



a mountain, and oppresses His heart so as nearly to break 
it. The agony brings a cold sweat out of Him, and the 
fear of His bitter suffering almost kills Him. Should 
Christ, then, not pray that the hour might pass? Never, 
during all His life had He passed an hour like the three 
hours in this grotto; for He suffered there in His soul 
what He suffered later in His body, and this so intensely 
that all men together could not sustain this pain. Might 
He, then, not pray that this hour pass? 

" And there appeared to Him an angel from heaven, 
strengthening Him. 7 ' (Luke xxii. 43.) O miracle of 
humility and love! The only-begotten Son of the eter- 
nal Father humbles Himself so deeply and so thoroughly 
as to accept the assistance of one of His creatures in His 
agony. This surely is a great and incomprehensible 
condescension. By it He wished to impress us with the 
excellence and efficacy of prayer. Abandoned by all 
men, even by His chosen apostles, who, thoughtless and 
unsympathetic, have dropped to sleep, He turns to His 
heavenly Father for assistance. Encouraged by His ex- 
ample, the zealous Christian turns, in the time of trial 
and temptation, to prayer. It is his best and only com- 
fort: it is taught him by word and example by Jesus in 
the Garden of Gethsemani. 

Let us now contemplate how Jesus awakened His 
sleeping apostles. "And He cometh, and fmdeth them 
sleeping/ 7 (Mark xiv. 37.) He finds them asleep, un- 
conscious, and apparently careless of the pain He is en- 
during. An hour before they were full of fervor, and 
had promised great things; and lo, they could not watch 



1 86 Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemani. 

one hour with Him! Jesus Himself seems to be sur- 
prised at this, and addressing Peter, who had been loud- 
est in his protestations of devotion, said to him in a tone 
of reproachful astonishment: "Simon, sleepest thou? 
Couldst thou not watch one hour?" (Mark xiv. 37.) 
Then, with another word of warning to be vigilant and 
prayerful, He left them, to continue His struggle against 
the repugnance of His human will to assume the crimes 
of a sinful world and to suffer for them. 

Each one of us was of those who forced from the sacred 
body of Jesus that agonizing sweat of blood. As He lay 
prostrate upon the earth in the bitterness of His anguish, 
He saw 7 you, too. He felt all the sins which you have 
committed, knowing well all their circumstances and all 
their malice. He bore the guilt of every evil thought 
you have formed, of every evil word you have spoken, of 
every evil desire you have cherished, and of every evil 
deed you have done. If you yourself are filled with 
confusion at their recollection, think of the agony they 
caused to your Redeemer in Gethsemani. Cast yourself, 
therefore, upon your knees in the presence of God, and 
humbly implore Him to pardon you the share you had in 
His sweat of blood. Pray that the precious drops which 
fell from Him that awful night may blot out your 
offences, and promise Him never to sin again. Beg of 
Him that, when you have to struggle against the seduc- 
tive whisperings of corrupt nature, He will call to your 
mind the sharp contest which covered His sacred body 
with that crimson sw r eat, and the memory of it will ena- 
ble you to overcome your evil inclinations. 



Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemani. 187 

O Jesus, I adore Thee in the sorrowful mystery of Thy 
agony. Accept, merciful Saviour, my sincerest gratitude 
for the anguish undergone for my sake, for the prayer 
which Thou didst offer for me, for all the precious drops 
of Thy bloody sweat poured out for love of me. O Lord 
Jesus Christ, be merciful to me, help me in my last 
agony, and let my end be commended to Thee. 



CHAPTER XX. 



THE TREASON OF JUDAS, AND THE APPREHENSION OF 

JESUS. 

JUDAS had not been idle during the interval which 
elapsed since the time he left the company of the 
apostles. " And Judas also, who betrayed Him, knew the 
place : because Jesus had often resorted thither, together 
with His disciples. Judas, therefore, having received a 
band of soldiers and servants from the chief priests and 
the Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches 
and weapons. Jesus therefore, knowing all things that 
should come upon Him, went forth and said to them : 
Whom seek ye? They answered Him: Jesus of Naza- 
reth. Jesus saith to them : I am He. And Judas also, 
who betrayed Him, stood with them." (John xviii. 2-5.) 
" And he that betrayed Him, gave them a sign, saying: 
Whomsoever I shall kiss, that is He; hold Him fast. 
And forthwith coming to Jesus, he said: Hail, Rabbi. 
And he kissed Him. And Jesus said to him: Friend, 
whereto art thou come?" (Matt. xxvi. 48-50.) " Judas, 
dost thou betray the Son of man with a kiss?" (Luke 
xxii. 48.) 

The treason of Judas is one of those startling mani- 
festations of human frailty which occur at times even 

188 



The Treason of Judas. 189 

among those who seem to be the pillars of God's 
Church. They rouse us from our dream of security, re- 
minding us of the solemn warning: " Wherefore he that 
thinketh himself to stand, let him take care lest he fall." 
(1 Cor. x. 12.) Surely, if we might look for stability 
anywhere, it would be among those whom Jesus Himself 
elected to be His representatives among men. He saw 
the hearts and the dispositions of those whom He gath- 
ered round Him for this purpose; and, therefore, Judas 
must have been a man who, if he had persevered in the 
way in which he was called to walk, would at last have 
laid down his life for his Master, like the rest of the 
apostles, and sealed a glorious career with a still more 
glorious death. Yet, though he was an apostle, and 
privileged as few men have been either before or since, 
he fell away most miserably from the service of Jesus 
Christ, and was lost. Since that time, very many have 
imitated his treason, and sold their Lord and Master for 
as paltry a sum as the blood-money which he received 
from the iniquitous high-priests. Heretics and unbe- 
lievers use them as examples wherewith to illustrate their 
arguments against our holy religion, and many of the 
simple faithful find them a rock of scandal and a stone 
of offence. But, instead of doing us any harm, the fall 
of such men may be turned into a signal benefit, if we 
learn to regard their prevarication as a warning of what 
may befall ourselves. We are all weak and liable to 
stray from the path of duty ; therefore, when we see those 
who are more perfect than ourselves turning traitors to 
their God, let us remember to stand in fear, not to be 



190 The Treason of Judas. 

censorious, but humbly to ask God to guide our steps in 
His paths, and not to suffer our feet to wander from the 
narrow way into the broad road which leads to perdition. 

Alas, the kiss of Judas is being constantly repeated. 
When some teacher of error, himself unworthy of divine 
grace, through his lust of flesh or pride of intellect, rises 
up against the discipline or teachings of His Church, 
and under the flimsy pretext of saving bishops and popes 
from error, and hypocritically prating about his love for 
the Church, betrays the spotless spouse of Christ to her 
enemies, is not such a profession of love the kiss of Ju- 
das? Alas, how often has the kiss of Judas been offered 
to the Saviour from the beginning of heresy and schism 
even to the latest years? And when a would-be enlight- 
ened individual, pretending to preach a so-called liberal 
policy for the Church, or a more advanced and modern 
Christianity, brings forward opinions subversive of faith 
and morals; when a Christian, though living in mortal 
sin, mingles among the faithful brethren, and, although 
unprepared and unrepentant, even approaches the altar 
to receive his Lord, is not such action similar to the 
treacherous kiss of Judas in the Garden of Olives? 

" As soon, therefore, as He had said to them : I am 
He, they went backward, and fell to the ground." (John 
xviii. 6.) St. Augustine here remarks: "Behold the 
power of a single word from the lips of Jesus! Al- 
though He raises no sword, the well-armed, boastful, 
and presumptuous gang fall helpless at His feet. If He 
who was about to be dragged to judgment had such 
power then, what shall He not be able to accomplish 




Mary Hath Chosen the Better Part. 



The Apprehension of Jesus. 



191 



when He shall come in a cloud of power and majesty to 
be Himself the judge? If at the point of death He is so 
mighty, what will He be when in His glory? " 

" Again, therefore, He asked them : Whom seek ye ? 
And they said: Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus answered: I 
have told you that I am He : if therefore you seek Me, 
let these go their way. That the word might be fulfilled 
which He said : Of them whom Thou hast given Me, I 
have not lost any one." (John xviii. 7-9.) " Then Simon 
Peter, having a sword, drew it, and struck the servant of 
the high-priest, and cut off his right ear. And the name 
of the servant was Malchus." (John xviii. 10.) " But 
Jesus answering, said: Suffer ye thus far. And when 
He had touched his ear, He healed him." (Luke xxii. 
51.) "Jesus therefore said to Peter: Put up thy sword 
into the scabbard. The chalice which My Father hath 
given Me, shall I not drink it?" (John xviii. 11, 12.) 
" And Jesus said to the chief priests, and magistrates of 
the temple, and the ancients that were come unto Him: 
Are you come out, as it were against a thief, with swords 
and clubs? When I was daily with you in the temple, 
you did not stretch forth your hands against Me; but 
this is your hour, and the power of darkness." (Luke 
xxii. 52, 53.) "Now all this was done that the scrip- 
tures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then the disci- 
ples all leaving Him, fled." (Matt. xxvi. 56.) 

It would seem from the gospel narrative that though 
Judas gave the preconcerted signal which pointed out to 
the soldiers the person of Our Lord, they did not at once 
rush on and seize Him. Either their eyes were blinded, 



192 



The Apprehension of Jesus. 



so that they could not see, or the traitor had been so pre- 
cipitate in performing his villainous part that they had 
not noticed his salutation. As they stood irresolute, Je- 
sus advanced toward them. All signs of weakness and 
of fear had vanished from Him. With unfaltering step 
He came toward them, and asked, in a voice in which 
there was not the slightest tremor of apprehension : 
"Whom seek ye?" They answered: "Jesus of Naza- 
reth." Then He uttered these few simple words: "I am 
He," with such majestic dignity of mien and quiet intre- 
pidity of tone that His would-be captors reeled backward 
and fell to the ground. i\mazement and fear held them 
spellbound; they dared not lay a finger upon Him. 
Again, therefore, Jesus said to them: "Whom seek ye?" 
and again received the same answer. " I have told you," 
replied Jesus, "that I am He. If therefore you seek Me, 
let these go." By these words He gave them permission 
to seize upon Him ; for the soldiers at once advanced, and 
with them the servants of the high-priest. St. Peter now 
drew forth his sword, and aiming a blow at the most for- 
ward, cut off his right ear. Jesus somewhat sternly bade 
him put back his weapon into its scabbard, as the use 
which he had made of it seemed to imply a want of faith 
in the pow r er of God, who, on a word from His beloved 
Son, w r ould have sent to His assistance legions of angelic 
spirits. Then, with compassionate tenderness, He healed 
the w T ound inflicted by His over-zealous apostle, and gave 
Himself into the hands of His enemies. 

Reflect, now, in what wav vou mav make the contem- 
plation of this incident in Our Lord's passion bear upon 



The Apprehension of Jesus. 193 



your daily life. There are seasons of trial and difficulty, 
when all things seem to be turning against you, and 
when, in addition to the trouble which hampers you on 
every side, there is added the enticement of the devil to 
abandon the service of God and to give yourself up to 
the pleasures of the world. When you are on the point 
of sinning, when your will is hesitating, trembling, as it 
were, in the balance, Jesus Himself comes before you, 
and says : " Wherefore art thou come ? Is it to betray 
Me ? Is it to hand Me over into the power of My ene- 
mies?" He speaks to you with a gentle voice, half -sor- 
rowful, half-reproachful: " My child, it is I. Do not, I 
beseech thee, do this thing! It is I whom thou art 
about to outrage. I have loved thee tenderly, with more 
than a mother's love. I have watched over thee, and 
seen thy struggles and thy trials, and borne thee up in 
the wearying heat of the conflict. I have given thee all 
that I have: more I could not give thee, for I gave thee 
Myself. I have shed the last drop of blood to redeem 
thee. What, therefore, art thou about to do?" Reflect 
upon it, and let the horror which the magnitude of so 
great a crime will flash into your soul bring you to your 
knees in humble supplication for pardon, for mercy, for 
strength. 

But there is another aspect under which we may look 
at the words of Jesus. There are some who, like the 
soldiers and the Jews that apprehended Jesus, are not 
impressed by the words which Christ addresses to them. 
They are deaf to the gentle pleading of His loving 
Heart; all that He has done for them, all that He prom- 
13 



i 9 4 



The Apprehension of Jesus, 



ises to do for them, is forgotten. The allurements of sin 
flaunt so glaringly before their view that they see not the 
tearful eyes and the blood-stained face of their Redeem- 
er. His outstretched hands are unheeded by them. 
They fling Him aside; they thrust Him into the clutches 
of His enemies, and grasp their heart's desire. There is 
no hand raised to smite them for their^ impiety, because 
it is their hour, and the hour of darkness. But that hour 
will pass away, and then it will be God's day — a day of 
calamity and of misery, a day of vengeance and retri- 
bution. For the sinner is not suffered to go on in his 
sin forever. The measure of his iniquities is filled up, 
and then the hour of doom strikes the knell of condem- 
nation for him.. He shall be snatched from the midst of 
his sins and hurried into the presence of his Judge. 
Then he shall hear these words of Jesus thundered into 
his ear: " It is I, Jesus of Nazareth. It is I whose 
words yon have despised, whose counsels you have set 
at naught, at whose threats you have laughed. It is I 
whose laws you have transgressed, whose sufferings you 
have made unavailing, whom you have despised and ill- 
treated. And now the day of vengeance has arrived. 
Thou mayest call the mountains to fall upon thee and to 
cover thee, but they cannot hide thee from My wrath. 
Begone, accursed one, into everlasting fire!" 

Dearest Jesus! I beg of Thee, through the merits of 
Thy cruel fetters, that Thou wouldst deliver me from the 
manacles of sin, of the world, and of the devil. Bind 
me to Thyself so fast with the fetters of love that I may 
ever remain Thy willing captive. Bind my heart to Thy 



The Apprelmision of Jesus, 



195 



heart, my mind to Thy mind, my soul to Thy soul, so 
that, by virtue of these triple bonds of love we may be 
so united that the power of the world, the flesh, and the 
devil may never be able to separate us. 



CHAPTER XXL 



JESUS BEFORE ANNAS. 



OW the impious mob led Our Lord away. Who can 



1 1 describe, or even imagine, the diabolical joy and 
low insolence of the soldiers and servants of the chief 
priests, as they dragged Jesus out of the garden and 
across the valley of Josaphat, over the brook Cedron, to 
Jerusalem, and into the high-priest's palace? The dis- 
tance from the Garden of Gethsemani, at the foot of 
Mount Olivet, where Our Saviour was apprehended, to 
the house of Annas, was fully a mile and a half. Over 
this distance, by a rough and stony road, Jesus was hur- 
ried along, leaving the ground stained with His bleeding 
feet. The servants carrying torches went ahead: behind 
them followed Jesus, tightly manacled, derided by the 
servants of the priests and Pharisees, and beaten and jos- 
tled by the soldiers; the meek and silent Saviour of man, 
bowed down with sadness and pain, is led like an inno- 
cent lamb amid a pack of bloodthirsty wolves. He 
was so tightly bound and so rudely jostled that He fell 
seven different times. Especially at the bridge over the 
brook Cedron He suffered a cruel fall; for His hands be- 
ing tied behind Him, His sacred brow came violently 
against the ground, where He lay, bleeding and helpless, 




196 



Jesus Before Annas, 



197 



till His enemies, amid shouts of laughter mingled with 
curses, lifted Him to His feet. Then they drove Him 
with clubs and swords up the steep mountain, path of 
Sion, and into the city. Alas, there was no compassion- 
ate soul abroad that night to meet the suffering Saviour 
with a look of sympathy! 

It must have been close on midnight when Jesus with 
His captors reached Jerusalem. Yet so eager were the 
priests to be rid of Him that they did not wait until 
morning, but had Him ushered into their presence at 
once, that the preliminary trial might take place, and the 
way be prepared for His condemnation and death on the 
following day. The soldiers therefore led Him straight 
to the house of Annas, the father-in-law of Caiphas, the 
high-priest. This Annas presided over a tribunal of 
seventy-two ancients, before whom all cases of false doc- 
trine were tried. More than twenty years before he had 
been high-priest, but had been deposed by the Roman 
Procurator, and was now an aged man, whose heart had 
not grown tender with his years, but rather harder and 
more unfeeling with avarice and pride. It has been sug- 
gested that the furious hatred displayed both by him and 
by all the priests and eiders against Our Lord arose 
from the fact that Jesus had so publicly, and with such 
zeal, driven the buyers and sellers from the Temple 
courts, and thus cut them off from a great source of pe- 
cuniary gain. We may, therefore, picture to ourselves 
the glare of fiendish triumph which shot from his eye as 
Jesus stood before him, bound like a common felon. He 
began at once to question Him about His doctrine, but 



Jesus Before Annas. 



the time for answering these inquiries had passed, even 
had they been asked for information, and not merely to 
entrap Him. Jesus, therefore, mildly referred him for 
information upon these points to those who had listened 
to Him. 

"Jesus answered him: I have spoken openly to the 
world. I have always taught in the synagogue and in 
the Temple, whither all the Jews resort; and in secret I 
have spoken nothing. Why askest thou Me? Ask them 
who have heard what I have spoken unto them : behold 
they know what things I have said. And when He had 
said these things, one of the servants standing by gave 
Jesus a blow, saying: Answerest thou the high-priest so? 
Jesus answered him: If I have spoken evil, give testi- 
mony of the evil: but if well, why strikest thou Me?" 
(John xviii. 20-23.) 

At the present day men dare to cite Jesus before their 
tribunals, in something of the same spirit as that which 
animated the infamous high-priest so many centuries 
ago, and for reasons almost similar. The doctrine of 
Jesus is a curb upon human nature. It restrains the fiery 
impulses of its fierce passions, and nature, feeling the 
check, kicks against it and strives to be rid of it. His 
teaching keeps within due bounds the reason of man, as 
well as his untamed nature. Consequently, all those 
who do not wish to be curbed by the law of the Lord 
hate Him for imposing it upon them, and do what lies in 
their power to destroy Him. Hence it is that we find 
men calling in question the very existence of Jesus, look- 
ing upon the whole gospel narrative as a tissue of fables, 



Jesus Before Annas. 



199 



and upon the divine law as a code invented by priests to 
subject the credulous to their sway. They summon Jesus 
before the tribunal of reason. He appears there, always 
prejudged, with hands tied, and, if possible, His mouth 
gagged. They question His doctrine in a sneering, cap- 
tious, half-critical, half-bantering sort of way, as if they 
hardly deemed it rational. If an answer is given, they 
fly into a fury and allow the speaker to be struck on the 
mouth, contrary to the dictates of law and justice. Be- 
ware of this. It is the outcome of a spirit of irreverence, 
which is born of rebellion against the law of God. No 
one calls into question the existence of God, and of the 
right of moral law to man's obedience, except such as 
have first revolted against the moral law, and persevered 
so long in their revolt that it is their interest to deny the 
existence of a guardian of the law, who will sharply 
avenge every infringement of it. Let them, then, first heal 
the wounds of their hearts, and they will soon see that 
reason will find nothing illogical in the scheme of divine 
government which has been revealed to us. Let them 
conscientiously observe all the precepts of God's law, and 
they will never desire to call Jesus Christ to the tribunal 
of their reason to show cause why He should dare to 
claim, and still more to exact, from them dutiful allegiance. 

Another lesson may be learned from an incident of this 
unjust trial, from the blow which Jesus received upon the 
mouth. It is with the mouth that men very often most 
grievously offend almighty God; for with it they give ut- 
terance to all the wickedness that is generated in their 
corrupt hearts. Look, therefore, to yourself, and see what 



20o Jesus Before Annas. 



you make of it. How do you speak of your superiors? 
You cite them before your tribunal, and pass in review 
their conduct, their persons, their abilities. Then you 
venture to judge them, to criticise them, and to condemn 
whatever seems displeasing to you. Your neighbors are 
next criticised. Perhaps, out of spite, you have invented 
and spread groundless accusations against them detri- 
mental to their good name and character. How often is 
your mouth sullied by lies? Of some sins of the tongue, 
God grant you may never be guilty! But though your 
offences in point of speech be not grievous, yet remember 
that it was to atone for them that Jesus received so pa- 
tiently that brutal blow upon His sacred mouth. There- 
fore often pray to Him, through the pain and confusion 
He then endured, to teach you to set a gate of prudence 
before your lips, so that no unseemly word, or sharp or 
bitter saying, which might wound your neighbor and soil 
your conscience, may ever escape your mouth. And 
when you feel tempted to say anything that would leave 
ever so slight a stain upon your soul, think of the blow 
given to your Lord, and keep silence for His sake. 

O beloved and grievously insulted Lord and Master! 
in deep humility and loving reverence I throw myself be- 
fore Thee on my knees. I honor and praise Thee with ail 
the powers of my mind and soul, endeavoring by my poor 
homage to render Thee some reparation for the awful in- 
dignity inflicted upon Thee by a wicked menial. O lac- 
erated, blood-stained countenance of my Saviour ! I adore 
thee and salute thee with heart-felt love. Pardon me: 
for, alas, I am a sinner who has often insulted thee! 



CHAPTER XXII. 



JESUS BEFORE CATPHAS. PETER'S DENIAL OF JESUS. 

AXXAS and his associates deemed the case of Jesus 
to be one which came within the province of the 
Sanhedrim, or great court, and Our Lord was accordingly 
sent by them to Caiphas. The attendants, therefore, led 
Him straightway across the courtyard to the hall, where 
the infamous high-priest was waiting with his colleagues 
to proceed with their nefarious trial. " And the chief 
priests and the whole council sought false witness against 
Jesus, that they might put Him to death. And they 
found not, whereas many false witnesses had come in. 
And last of all there came two false witnesses, and they 
said: This man said: I am able to destroy the Temple 
of God, and after three days to rebuild it. And the 
high-priest rising up, said to Him : Answerest Thou 
nothing to the things which these witness against Thee? 
But Jesus held His peace. And the high-priest said to 
Him: I adjure Thee, by the living God, that Thou tell 
us if Thou be Christ, the Son of God. Jesus saith to 
Him: Thou hast said it: nevertheless, I say to you, here- 
after you shall see the Son of man sitting on the right 
hand of the power of God, and coming in the clouds of 
heaven. Then the high-priest rent his garments, saying: 



202 



Jesus Before Caiphas. 



He hath blasphemed; what further need have we of wit- 
nesses? Behold, now you have heard the blasphemy: 
what think you? But they answering, said: He is guilty 
of death. Then they spit in His face, and buffeted Him, 
and others struck His face with the palms of their hands, 
saying: Prophesy unto us, O Christ, who is he that struck 
Thee. 7 ' (Matt. xxvi. 59-68.) 

During the whole of this accusation, Jesus was stand- 
ing in the presence of the high-priest, His hands tied be- 
hind His back, His eves modestly cast down. No 
shadow of displeasure passed across His features as per- 
jury after perjury was uttered against Him. His digni- 
fied silence disconcerted the judges, and filled them with 
confusion and rage. If He would only speak, they might 
vent their pent-up fury against Him. His silence was 
intolerable. It filled Caiphas with such passion that, 
starting to his feet, he exclaimed: u Answerest Thou 
nothing to the things that these witness against Thee?" 
His face was distorted with anger; his wicked eyes, 
sparkling with hate, peered into the countenance of Je- 
sus, as he waited amid breathless silence for an answer 
to his question. But not a word passed the lips of Our 
Lord. Then, lifting up his voice, Caiphas uttered that 
solemn adjuration, which his crafty soul knew full well 
would extort an answer from his prisoner, and, at the 
same time, give him something upon which to fasten an 
accusation : " I adjure Thee/' he said, " by the living 
God, that Thou tell us if Thou be Christ, the Son of 
God/"' Amid the deep silence which followed so solemn 
an appeal, there issued from the hitherto sealed lips of 



Jesus Before Caiphas. 



203 



Jesus the startling response: "I am: and you shall see 
the Son of man sitting on the right hand of the power of 
God, and coming with the clouds of heaven." (Mark 
xiv. 62.) Caiphas, unappalled by this thrilling an- 
nouncement, seized upon these words as the most damn- 
ing evidence of guilt; and crying out with well-assumed 
horror: "He hath blasphemed/" rent his garments, and, 
appealing to his associates, received from them the long- 
expected answer: <; He is guilty of death." 

By the loud acclaim of the whole assembly, Jesus had 
been judged guilty of death. It is very likely that Cai- 
phas, on hearing the unanimous sentence of his col- 
leagues, rose up with them and left the hall. If he did 
not do so, but remained behind and looked on approv- 
ingly while Jesus was subjected to the treatment which 
the evangelists describe, this fact will be another brand 
of infamy upon his deeply stained character, marking 
him as a vile wretch, who to his many evil qualities add- 
ed the degrading vice of malignant cruelty. For the 
wretches who stood around immediately began to maltreat 
Jesus, who stood defenceless in the midst of them. 
These were the soldiers, the menials, the hangers-on of 
the palace of the high-priest, into whose souls the devil 
seems to have entered and filled them with diabolical 
rage and cruelty against Our Lord. Some of them spat 
in His adorable face; others plucked at His hair and 
beard: others, clenching their fists, dealt Him blows on 
the face which stunned and staggered Him ; with derisive 
shouts and laughter others struck Him with the palms of 
their hands, and, in allusion to His prophetic character, 



204 



Peter 's Denial of Christ, 



asked Him to tell them "who it was that struck Him." 
This treatment they continued the whole of that dreadful 
night. The evangelists have drawn a veil over the se- 
crets which its darkness conceals, and have contented 
themselves with saying: "And blaspheming, many other 
things they said against Him. 7 ' (Luke xxii. 65.) 

Here is a subject for study and meditation, ye proud 
and sensitive children of men. O all ye who think of 
little else and seek little else than your own personal ad- 
vantage, who crave and covet the admiration of your 
fellow-beings, who lust for distinction, who demand the 
homage of the world, who vainly and foolishly labor to 
attract the eyes of others by your personal appearance, by 
gaudy dress, by affected and pompous demeanor, who 
cannot bear an insult, even though imaginary: in this 
spectacle you may discover and realize the wickedness of 
your personal vanity. For it is in atonement to His 
heavenlv Father for such vanitv that Our Saviour under- 
went such atrocious treatment. 

Whilst Jesus was enduring in silence and meekness 
these unparalleled indignities, insults, and tortures from 
the hands of His enemies, still another disgrace was 
added, wounding still more deeply His sorrowful heart. 
Peter, His chosen apostle, denied Him. After Our 
Lord's apprehension, he fled, like the other apostles; but 
shame for his cowardice, as well as his love for Jesus, 
induced him to turn back and follow Him " af ar off,'' 
even to the house of the high-priest. The evangelists 
describe his denial of Christ as follows : 

" Now when Peter was in the court below, a porteress, 



Peter s Denial of Christ. 



205 



one of the maid-servants of the high-priest, came, and 
when she had seen Peter sitting by the fire, warming him- 
self, and had looked at him, she said : Art thou not also 
one of this man's disciples? Thou also wast with Jesus 
the Galilean. But he denied before them all, saying: I 
am not one of His disciples. Woman, I know Him not. 
I neither know nor understand what thou sayest. And 
he went forth before the court, and the cock crew. As 
he went out of the gate, another maid saw him, and she 
saith to them that were there: This man also was with 
Jesus of Nazareth. They said therefore to him : Art not 
thou also one of His disciples? And after a little while 
another seeing him, said : Thou also art one of them. 
But Peter denied again with an oath, and said: I am not; 
I do not know the man. After the space, as it were, of 
another hour, another man affirmed it, saying: Of a truth 
this man was also with Him, for he is a Galilean. And 
they that stood by came and said to Peter : Surely, thou 
also art one of them. Thou art a Galilean, for even thv 
speech doth discover thee. One of the servants of the 
high-priest, a kinsman to him whose ear Peter cut off, 
said to him : Did I not see thee in the garden with Him ? 
Again therefore Peter denied, and began to curse and 
swear : Man, I know not what thou sayest. I know not 
this man of whom you speak. And immediately, as he 
was yet speaking, the cock crew again. And the Lord, 
turning, looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the 
word of the Lord, as He had said : Before the cock crow 
twice, thou shalt deny Me thrice. And going out, he wept 
bitterly." (Matt, xxvi., Mark xiv., Luke xxii., John xviii.) 



2o6 



Peter s Denial of Christ. 



In truth, Peter had good cause to shed bitter tears of 
remorse and contrition. For, as the gospel so impres- 
sively states it, he had denied Jesus before all ; he had 
denied his Lord by dissimulation, denied Him by a lie, 
by repeated lies, and by a solemly sworn assertion of 
falsehood. Lay it well to heart, devout reader, even an 
apostle it was who fell so low and so meanly, because he 
heeded not the warning of his Master; because he de- 
pended too confidently on his own strength: because, in- 
stead of preparing by prayer for the hour of temptation, 
he went to sleep; finally, because he went into danger 
unguarded. 

Learn from the downfall of St. Peter not to be pre- 
sumptive, but to stand in humility and fear. It may be 
that at this present moment you are leading a pure and 
holy life. You delight in prayer, pious reading, and in / 
the devout reception of the sacraments. Vice is hateful 
to you, and in the strength of your present fervor you im- 
agine that nothing in the world can separate you from the 
love of Jesus Christ. Nevertheless be on your guard; 
stand in fear. There have been many as good, as virtu- 
ous, and as fully determined to remain so, as you are at 
this moment: and we have seen them fall away and make 
shipwreck, not only of their virtue, but of their faith. 
They trusted too much in their own strength. 

" Peter went out " — that is, he left the occasion of sin, 
fled from further temptation and from the scene of his 
fall — "and wept bitterly. " His penance was a lasting 
one: for during the rest of his life he never ceased to be- 
wail his unfaithfulness. A pious legend relates that St. 



Peter ' s Denial of Christ. 



207 



Peter was never again seen to laugh, and at every sound 
of the cock-crow his tears gushed forth afresh, His re- 
pentance was perfect, so that he could afterward say with 
truth: "Lord, Thou knowest all things; Thou knowest 
that I love Thee/'' And his love was an humble, strong, 
and enduring love, a love till death. After pursuing a 
long, zealous, and laborious career in the service of the 
Church, his last request was that, as a final atonement 
and reparation for his denial of his Lord, he might be 
crucified head downward. His penance was crowned 
with its reward. Here below he was chosen to be the 
prince of the apostles and appointed head of the Church, 
and in heaven he was adorned with a martyr's crown. 
And all this reward came from that look of Jesus, a look 
full of grace, and from Peter's faithful and persevering 
co-operation with the grace of that look. 

O merciful Jesus! turn another such look of grace 
and pity upon me, that, like Peter, I may be strengthened 
to love Thee, and to serve Thee faithfully till the hour of 
my death. 



CHAPTER XXIII. 



JESUS BEFORE PILATE. THE DESPAIR OF JUDAS. 

FTER a long night of the most outrageous treat- 



ii ment, Jesus was summoned, very early in the morn- 
ing, before a full assembly of the Jewish high court, 
where sentence of death was passed upon Him. But as 
the Jews no longer possessed the power to inflict capital 
punishment, it was necessary that Jesus should be handed 
over to the Romans. " And the whole multitude of them 
rising up, led Him to Pilate. And they began to accuse 
Him, saying: We have found this man perverting our na- 
tion, and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar, and saying 
that He is Christ the king. And Pilate asked Him, say- 
ing : Art Thou the King of the Jews ? But He answering, 
said : Thou sayest it. And Pilate said to the chief priests 
and to the multitudes : I find no cause in this man." 
(Luke xxiii. 1—4.) 

Behold Our Lord, the almighty and all-holy, dragged 
through the streets of Jerusalem to the palace of Pontius 
Pilate, the Roman governor. As He went along, the 
people and strangers who had come for the feast of the 
Passover were told that this man, whose fame had gone 
throughout Judea, had been discovered at last to be noth- 
ing better than a cunning impostor who had gained for 




Jesus Before Pilate. 209 

Himself the reputation of a prophet and worker of 
miracles. He was therefore insulted, derided, and reviled 
as He passed along the crowded streets. On arriving 
at the governor's palace, Jesus was sent into the hall, 
probably with some soldiers or Temple guards: for the 
priests feared to incur ceremonial uncleanness by en- 
tering the house of a gentile. Pilate, in order not to 
offend the prejudices of this fanatical people, came 
down to them as they stood without. The accusations 
brought by these hypocrites against Jesus were " that 
He was a man of seditious character, whose aim was to 
overthrow the Roman power; that He persuaded the 
people not to pay tribute to Caesar, and set Himself up 
as King of the Jews." The clear-headed Roman saw 
at a glance how matters stood. He had heard enough 
to know that the charges of these vindictive priests 
against Christ were the outcome of their jealousy and 
wounded pride; and he was convinced that if the ac- 
cusations had been true, these men would have been the 
first to join any one who opposed the Roman dominion. 
After listening to their storv with ill -concealed scorn, 
he left the accusers to question the accused. 

Endeavor to learn something for your own edification 
from the sin of the Jewish priests. They were incited to 
murder Jesus through envy: for His holy, austere, and 
laborious life was a reproach to their effeminate indo- 
lence: the light of His wisdom threw all their knowledge 
into the shade, and His miraculous power gained Him 
the credit and the reverence of the people. Hence their 
continuous opposition to His teaching, and their rage 
14 



2 IO 



Jesus Before Pi 'late. 



when He silenced and humbled them in presence of those 
before whom they wished to pass as the guides and teach- 
ers of Israel. Now, as envy led them into the frightful 
crime of seeking the death of the Son of God, it may 
likewise cause you to commit many grievous sins. 
Carefully guard your heart against this detestable vice, 
and instead of inflicting injur}' upon your own soul by 
grieving at the success of others, share in all their good 
works by rejoicing with them and giving God thanks for 
their success. 

After hearing the accusers of Jesus, Pilate left them, 
and, entering the hall, stood face to face with Our Lord. 
Looking upon Him standing there pale and weary, with 
the marks of the preceding night's ill-treatment still on 
Him. he began with the chief accusation against Him. 
and asked : " Art Thou the king of the Jews ?" His tone, 
half pity, half of incredulous surprise, made Jesus an- 
swer : "My kingdom is not of this world. If My king- 
dom were of this world. My servants would certainly 
strive that I should not be delivered to the Jews : but now 
My kingdom is not from hence. Pilate therefore said to 
Him: Ait Thou a king? Jesus answered: Thou sayest 
that I am a king. For this was I born, and for this 
came I into the world, that I should give testimony to 
the truth : every one that is of the truth heareth My voice. 
Pilate saith to Him: What is truth? And when he said 
this, he went out again to the Jews and saith to them : I 
find no cause in Him." (John xviii. 36-38.) 

From this conversation Pilate judged Our Lord to be 
a harmless visionary; and going forth to the eagerly ex- 



Jesus Before Pilate. 



pectant multitude, told them very plainly that he found 
no cause for condemnation in Him. This announcement 
was received with loud clamors, and fresh accusations and 
wilder cries for His blood rose from the people, as the 
priests went about industriously among them instigating 
them to clamor for His death. Had Pilate been a man of 
firm decision, he would have ordered out a company of sol- 
diers and cleared the place of these shrieking fanatics: 
but, fearing to offend them whose accusations at Rome 
might rouse the susceptibilities of his imperial master, he 
hesitated and took refuge in a temporizing policy, which 
only staves off a difficulty for a time, but does not re- 
move it. 

Observe, too, the question of Pilate: "What is truth?"' 
As if, unbelieving heathen that he was, he would have 
said : " Why trouble yourself to find out the truth ? Why 
bring upon yourself so many perils, so much hatred and 
opposition, in endeavoring to make known the truth to 
men? What is truth ? Where is it to be found? No- 
where on earth, for here below all is doubt, error, and 
fiction. The truly wise man is he who does not bother 
himself about truth, who enjoys life, who gives himself 
up without restraint to the gratification of every momen- 
tary pleasure. " What a sad and miserable avowal! Pa- 
ganism makes use of Pilate's lips to acknowledge its own 
impotency to learn or to hold the truth. It confesses that 
all the efforts of its greatest, wisest, and most learned 
philosophers have led mankind to nothing but falsehood. 
It acknowledges itself unable to solve the awfully impor- 
tant problem concerning the soul of man. " What is 



212 



The Despair of Judas. 



truth?" Observe, too, that paganism makes this declara- 
tion of its own inefficiency and insufficiency on the very 
day on which mankind is to be restored to the truth 
and renewed in grace by the atoning sacrifice of the 
cross. 

Form for yourself a habit of mind different from that 
which guided the conduct of Pilate. Accustom yourself, 
on all occasions when there is question of right or 
wrong, first of all to discover, if possible, what is right, 
and then to follow it, cost what it may. In this way you 
will accustom yourself to fear nobody but God, and to 
dread nothing but evil. This will make you a good, 
honest man, faithful to your conscience and loyal to your 
God, and you will never condemn Jesus Christ in order 
to win the favor of His enemies. 

After the apprehension of Jesus, the traitor Judas prob- 
ably mingled with the crowd, in order to escape observa- 
tion. Curiosity impelled him to follow the concourse to 
the city, to see how matters would end. He heard, from 
the remarks of those who had been present at the prelim- 
inary trial, of the vile treatment to which his Master had 
been subjected by His captors, and also that the general 
impression was that He would most certainly be put to 
death. He had, in all probability, never calculated upon 
this; but thought that Jesus would find means to escape 
from their hands unharmed, as He had escaped often- 
times before. But now that He seemed to be wholly in 
their power, Judas knew full well how little hope of es- 
cape there was for Him. The wretched traitor began to 
see, in all its appalling magnitude, the atrocity of the 



The Despair of Judas. 



213 



crime of which he had been guilty. Remorse tore his 
heart. The calm, pale, sorrowful face of Jesus, whom he 
had given over to death, haunted him like a spectre. All 
the numberless acts of love He had shown to him, in try- 
ing to soften and change his heart, now rose up before 
his mind like so many avenging furies. In order not to 
interrupt, later, the history of Our Lord's sufferings, we 
mention the fate of the traitor Judas here. 

" Then Judas, who betrayed Him, seeing that He was 
condemned, repenting himself, brought back the thirty 
pieces of silver to the chief priests and ancients, saying: 
I have sinned in betraying innocent blood. But they 
said : What is that to us? Look thou to it. And casting 
down the pieces of silver in the Temple, he departed, and 
hanged himself with an halter. But the chief priests 
having taken the pieces of silver, said: It is not lawful 
to put them into the corbona : because it is the price of 
blood. And after they had consulted together, they 
bought with them the potter's field, to be a burying-place 
for strangers." (Matt, xxvii. 3-7.) 

Peter and Judas both sinned against their Lord and 
Master, but their subsequent conduct and fate were as far 
different as heaven from earth. Peter turns his eyes to 
his Redeemer, and encounters a compassionate look of 
forgiveness. Judas bends his steps to the enemies of 
Christ, the high-priests, and meets with heartless indiffer- 
ence, Peter recognizes the enormity of his crime, but, as 
his faith is still alive, he understands, to his consolation, 
that the mercy of his Redeemer is infinitely greater. Ju- 
das, on the contrary, is confirmed in his wickedness ; he 



214 



The Despair of Judas. 



turns away from repentance; he settles down to dark de- 
spair, and, going out, hangs himself. 

When Judas first presented himself before the high- 
priests to make that vile compact which ended in the be- 
trayal of Our Lord, they received him eagerly, and 
showed him marked attention. They encouraged him to 
do what he proposed ; they employed him as a tool to 
serve their wicked purpose. When they had accom- 
plished this, they withdrew from him in disdain. He 
had betrayed innocent blood ! They thought nothing of 
it. They laughed at his misery, and sneeringly told him 
that it mattered not to them what might happen to him. 
"Look you to it." 

So it is also with those who would lead you to sin. 
Before and while they are tempting you, they pretend the 
greatest friendship and love for you ; but afterward they 
hate and despise you. There can be no true esteem, no 
true friendship, no real love, which is cemented by sin. 
You can expect no lasting regard from any one who urges 
you to sin. It is himself he loves, not you. And when 
such wretches have gained their end, they laugh heart- 
lessly at the misery they have created. 

Another lesson which the sad end of Judas teaches us 
is this: Sin, even in the present life, is always followed 
by punishment; if not by temporal chastisements, by 
that inner torment of soul which is called remorse. It is 
the voice of conscience upbraiding men with their wick- 
edness, and neither dissipation, nor pleasures, nor whirl 
of excitement is able to effectually stifle it. Once the 
evil deed is done, the tempter transforms himself into a 



Christ in the Garden. 



The Despair of Judas. 



215 



judge, who proclaims to your remorseful heart: "There 
is no longer any mercy for you; the measure of grace al- 
lotted to you has been exhausted. All penance will be 
in vain; your sentence is pronounced; you are already 
lost for all eternity." Christian soul, if you would es- 
cape misery such as this, resist, in its first inception, 
the attempt of the devil to induce you to be faithless to 
your Saviour, to your Church, to your duty. 



CHAPTER XXIV. 



JESUS BEFORE HEROD. HE IS REJECTED FOR BARABBAS. 

— THE SCOURGING AND CROWNING WITH THORNS. 

F])ILATE, in his perplexity and fear, was ready for any 



1 excuse to rid himself of this most embarrassing- 
trial. As soon, therefore, as he heard, among other 
accusations, that " He stirreth up the people, teaching 
throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee to this 
place,'' he remembered that Herod, who was then present 
in the city, held jurisdiction over that province, and 
ought, consequently, to try the case which had been 
brought before him. " And when he understood that He 
was of Herod's jurisdiction, he sent Him away to Herod, 
who was also in Jerusalem in those days."' (Luke xxiii. 7.) 
This was not the Herod who had caused the murder of 
the Innocents, but his son, the same who had ordered 
the execution of St. John the Baptist. Moreover, he was 
not king of the whole Jewish country, but only of Galilee. 
For after their father's death, his three sons. Archelaus, 
Philip, and Herod, had divided the kingdom amongst 
themselves, and the latter obtained Galilee. He lived at 
Csesarea, not in Jerusalem : but at Easter he came to the 
latter city to fulfil the law, and then dwelt in the beauti- 
ful marble palace erected by his father. To this adulter- 




216 



Jesus Before Herod, 



217 



ous and cruel king the King of heaven and earth was 
now sent for trial. 

Jesus was therefore again dragged through the streets, 
and amid imprecations, insults, and blows, conducted to 
Herod. Seated amidst his licentious courtiers, Herod 
received Our Lord with joy. Like other men, he had 
heard much of Jesus, and of the wondrous works wrought 
by Him ; how He had opened the eyes of the blind, made 
the lame to walk, cured lepers, and raised the dead from 
their graves. He expected Him to satisfy his vulgar 
curiosity by performing one of those astounding miracles 
which had made all Judea ring with His praises. "And 
Herod seeing Jesus, was very glad ; for he was desirous 
of a long time to see Him, because he had heard many 
things of Him, and he hoped to see some sign wrought 
by Him. And he questioned Him in many words. But 
He answered him nothing.'' (Luke xxiii. 8, 9.) His 
questions drew no response from the poor, despised Sa- 
viour, who stood before him a prisoner. An angry flush 
mounted to the face of Herod, as he felt he was set at 
naught by Jesus; and though the Jews stood by earnestly 
accusing Him, He did not deem their clamors worthy of 
notice. " And Herod with his army set Him at naught, 
and mocked Him. putting on Him a white garment, and 
sent Him back to Pilate." (Luke xxiii. 11.) 

What were the reasons which induced Our Lord to re- 
main silent in the presence of Herod? There is one very 
obvious reason, which will strike even the most thought- 
less. The inquiries of Herod were made simply to sat- 
isfy an idle curiosity, and his desire to see Our Lord was 



218 



Jesus Before Herod. 



prompted by nothing higher than the craving for some 
new excitement. No fruit could be hoped for from one 
so disposed. Moreover, the holy Fathers see other rea- 
sons for this silence of Our Lord, which will not be with- 
out a warning lesson for us all. They observe that by 
Herod's adulterous marriage with his brother's wife he 
had been cut off from the communion of the Jewish re- 
ligion, of which he made a nominal profession. His life 
was most licentious, and though warned by St. John the 
Baptist, he had rejected grace, and, in order to heal the 
wounded vanity of a wicked woman, had basely ordered 
the precursor of Christ to be murdered in his prison. Je- 
sus, therefore, could find in a heart so corrupt no healthy 
spot wherein to cast the seed of His life-giving word. 

As Jesus was silent with Herod, so is He also silent 
with those who, like him, live in uncleanness and in the 
habitual abuse of divine grace. At first He speaks to 
them both by His inspirations and by the voice of His 
ministers; but when, by oft-repeated sin, every particle 
of good soil has been burned up in their hearts, He de- 
sists from such fruitless labor. Oh. sad indeed the fate 
of him unto whose questioning Jesus will answer never a 
word ! 

Receiving no answer from Jesus, Herod vents his spite 
against Him by inciting his soldiers to mock Him. A 
long white garment, such as was usually worn in Eastern 
lands by poor idiots, was brought out and placed upon 
Christ. Herod, bv this proceeding, wished to intimate to 
Pilate: "You see this fool, who plotted to make Himself 
king, and who, because His ignorant and thoughtless 



Jesus Before Herod. 219 

followers and the common people ran after Him, imag- 
ined Himself to be of vast importance. But before edu- 
cated people, such as myself and the chief priests, His 
wisdom is blown to the winds, His power is nowhere, and 
He is unable to answer a word. There He stands, silent 
and confused, like a stupid idiot." And has not this 
mockery of Jesus continued for eighteen hundred years? 
Unbelief, sensuality, neglect, and pride have been heaped 
ignominiously on Christ in His Church, by rejecting her 
principles, thwarting her progress, ridiculing her prac- 
tices, and subjecting her ministers to the scoffs and jeers 
of the ungodly. 

From the court of Herod Jesus was once more led 
back through the streets of the city, dressed in the gar- 
ment of a fool, and greeted on every side by the derision 
of the fickle crowd, who but a few days before had wel- 
comed Him as the long-expected Messias. How He 
must have been harassed by this dragging from one place 
to another — from the Garden of Olives to Jerusalem, 
tli rough the streets to the house of Annas, from Annas to 
Caiphas, from Caiphas to the morning session of the 
high-council, from the high-council to Pilate, from Pilate 
to Herod, and from Herod back again to Pilate. Who 
can describe or even estimate the fatigue and bodily pain, 
and. above all. the mental anguish, the agony of soul en- 
dured by Jesus, exhausted as He was by the cruel treat- 
ment of the night? And vet He obeyed His tormentors 
without uttering one word or showing one sign of reluc- 
tance, complaint, or reprimand. 

"And Herod and Pilate were made friends that same 



220 



Jesus Rejected for Barabbas, 



day: for before they were enemies one to another." 
(Luke xxiii. 12.) Disastrous friendship, formed by the 
rejection of Jesus! The pagan governor, having often 
offended the Jewish king by rashly intruding on his juris- 
diction, avails himself of this opportunity to soothe the 
angry Herod, by flattering his vanity, pride, and curios- 
ity, in turning Jesus over to him; and he now returns the 
compliment by sending Him back. And now, behold 
Him once more in the presence of Pilate. With unalter- 
able meekness He awaits the sentence which the chief 
priests were urging the rabble to extort from the vacillat- 
ing governor. Pilate dared not condemn a prisoner so 
manifestly free from guilt; but rather than take the 
straight path, and pursue it in spite of the insane clamors 
of a fanatical people, he again temporized. He recol- 
lected that it was a custom on the paschal solemnity to 
release, at the request of the people, some criminal for 
whom they might choose to petition. There happened 
at that time to be in custody a malefactor of the most vi- 
cious type, a man who was at once a robber, a rebel, and 
a murderer. Pilate, therefore, eagerly grasped at this 
last opportunity of saving the life of Our Lord. Coming 
forward and standing upon the platform above the heads 
of the surging throng, he put this question to them: 
" Whom will you that I release to you : Barabbas, or Jesus 
that is called Christ?" (Matt, xxvii. 17.) At once there 
rose up a unanimous shout: "Not this man, but Barab- 
bas!" (John xviii. 40.) Pilate was astonished at their 
injustice and vindictive cruelty. He said to them : 
" Why, what evil hath this man done?" (Luke xxiii. 22.) 



Jesus Rejected for Bar abb as. 221 

He was answered by still more furious shouts for the re- 
lease of the robber and murderer. " Pilate saith to them : 
What shall I do then with Jesus that is called Christ? 
They all say: Let Him be crucified. The governor said 
to them: Why, what evil hath He done? But they cried 
out the more, saying: Let Him be crucified." (Matt, 
xxvii. 22, 23.) Maddened into a very paroxysm of fury 
by the delay Pilate had made in satisfying their thirst for 
blood, the Jews cried out : " If thou release this man, 
thou art not Caesar's friend; for whosoever maketh him- 
self a king, speaketh against Caesar." (John xix. 12.) 

How awful was the insult offered to Jesus in being thus 
compared to a robber and a murderer! But what must 
have been the anguish of His heart when, on being com- 
pared with Barabbas, the deliberate preference was given 
to this outcast, this human beast of prey ? Think of the 
agony of suffering Jesus endured, and learn from Him 
that sweet humility which keeps the rebellious heart 
quiet, and restrains an angry tongue, and holds back the 
storm of wrathful words by which you otherwise would 
resent injuries. 

Examine also into the secrets of your heart, and see 
whether you have dared, like Pilate, to propose to your 
soul the choice between Jesus and mortal sin. See 
whether you have not, like the Jews, taken to yourself a 
Barabbas, and rejected Christ. If you preferred sin, you 
were guilty of as great an insult to Jesus Christ as the 
wretches who in their savage frenzy chose the robber and 
murderer in preference to the adorable Son of God. 
V Though Pilate saw that his efforts to save Jesus had 



222 The Scourging and Crowning with Thorns. 

thus far been unavailing, he did not give up all hope of 
ultimately delivering Him from the hands of His ene- 
mies. As soon, therefore, as he had released Barabbas 
to the Jews, he did not directly condemn Our Lord to 
death, but, having once again declared that he found 
no crime in Him worthy of death, he nevertheless pro- 
claimed that he was so far willing to enter into their 
views with respect to Him, as first to give Him a most 
severe correction, and then to set Him at liberty. Upon 
this, Jesus was led away from the presence of the Roman 
governor into the pretorium. There the soldiers stripped 
Him of His garments, and, having bound Him to a pil- 
lar, grasped in their cruel hands the scourge, in this case 
a whip of leathern thongs, each one of which was tipped 
with lead or iron. To be struck with it was looked upon 
as the lowest degradation, and none but the worst crimi- 
nals were ever punished in this way. Jesus, tied fast to 
the pillar, the whole of the upper portion of His sacred 
person exposed to the cruel gaze of the mob, and so un- 
mercifully lashed by scourges in the hands of six or eight 
soldiers, that His precious blood flows in warm streams 
to the earth, and skin and flesh become one undistin- 
guishable mass, is the dread picture now before our 
thoughts. Forty stripes save one were all that the law 
sanctioned; but the revelations of the saints tell us that 
the soldiers struck till their hands grew weary. Then, 
and not till then, did they desist; and Jesus was left 
quivering with agony, fainting from the loss of blood, a 
spectacle at which the stoniest heart would have melted 
with pity. As we think of this scourging, our flesh creeps 



The Scourging and Crowning with Thorns. 



with horror, and the blood curdles in our veins. They 
struck Him with all die might which fury lends to a 
powerful arm; they struck Him till they tore His flesh 
from His bones: they struck Him so long and so heav- 
ily, that had He not been supported by His divine na- 
ture, He would have died. Yet no cry of pain escaped 
from the lips of that unresisting victim. Like the sheep 
which is led to slaughter, He opened not His mouth. 
What a spectacle for us to look upon! Torn, mangled, 
disfigured, quivering with the agonizing smart of the 
cruel thongs, He stands there, well-nigh fainting with the 
keenness of punishment such as mortal flesh has never 
felt before. Truly, " He was wounded for our iniquities, 
bruised for our sins : the chastisement of our peace was 
upon Him, and by His bruises we are healed." (Is. lv. 5.) 

O grievous wounds of the adorable person of my Re- 
deemer ! with reverence and loving sympathy I salute 
ye, and would fain bathe ye with my tears. O once 
beautiful features of my Saviour, how disfigured by the 
lash of the scourge! Eyes full of compassion for sin- 
ners, how swollen, how hidden in the blood that has 
poured from Thy temples! O truthful lips, how torn and 
deformed! O Father in heaven, look down upon Thy 
lacerated Son, see His writhing frame, and come to His 
relief! Remember that He is undergoing this dreadful 
scourging for no other purpose than that of making full 
atonement for my countless sins, especially my sins of 
the flesh, and to perforin the penalties which I have so 
richly deserved. Therefore, O heavenly Father, I offer 
up to Thee this cruel scourging of Thy Son and my Sav- 



224 The Scourging and Crowning with Thorns. 

iour, together with all His anguish of mind and torture 
of body, and cry out to Thee with a breaking heart: Di- 
vine Father, accept this infinitely valuable sacrifice, and 
thus save my soul from eternal perdition ! 

Yes, it was for our sins that God suffered wicked men to 
strike the sinless flesh of His only-begotten Son till He 
became like unto a leper, disfigured with bloody wheals 
and gaping wounds, as the leper is with the loathsome 
corruption of his foul disease. Sin is a leprosy with 
which men disfigure their souls, and to atone for it our 
Lord and God thus suffered pain, shame, and degrada- 
tion. He was publicly stripped of His clothing before a 
crowd of vile wretches, to atone for the immodesties that 
are committed in the world. He was publicly whipped 
like the worst criminal, in order to satisfy, by the agony 
of His lacerated flesh, for all those sinful delights where- 
by men defile their hearts, and change them from the 
temple of the living God into the abode of the devil. 

Let it, therefore, be your aim, after reflecting on the 
torture Our Lord endured in His cruel scourging, to ob- 
tain, by means of humble, earnest, persevering prayer, a 
great love for modesty, a deeper and more determined 
resolution to preserve yourself from the stain of unclean- 
ness. It was to wash away this stain, and to provide a 
healing balsam for our gaping w<ounds, that He suffered 
His sacred flesh to be torn open and His sacred blood to 
gush forth. But at the same time He wished us to bear 
Him company in His sufferings, and to share in them by 
mortifying our sinful flesh. If we have not the courage 
to smite ourselves with those scourges wherewith the love 



The Scourging and Crowning with Thorns. 225 

of God has armed the saints, we may at least strike our- 
selves with the whip of self-denial. If we cannot resist 
unto blood, we may at least endure the pain of turning 
away from what flesh and blood covet so eagerly, and 
sacrifice for the sake of Jesus some little of that ease 
which we do not deserve to enjoy, by reason of our many 
and oft-repeated transgressions. 

The cruelty of the brutal soldiers who tortured Jesus 
suggested to them another means whereby they might add 
insult to the degrading injuries which they had already 
heaped upon Him. True, the executioners who did the 
scourging are quite exhausted, but who can count the 
numbers of those who are panting to supply their places, 
and to rival each other in venting their diabolical hatred 
against Jesus? Calling to mind that one of the accusa- 
tions against Him was that He styled Himself King of 
the Jews, they said to one another: " If He is a king, He 
must be crowned." 

In the vicinity of Jerusalem there grows a species of 
thorny shrub, whose thorns are hard, sharp, and about 
two inches in length. They are called to this day Spina 
Christi — " Christ's thorn." Of these the inhuman crea- 
tures platted a crown, and pressed it forcibly upon the 
head, brow, and temples of Jesus, striking it down with 
clubs, so that the sharp thorns penetrated to the bone of 
His skull. What an unheard-of cruelty! Never had the 
like of it been done, never been known in the history of 
inhumanity until that hour. Then they brought forth an 
old, tattered, purple cloak, and threw it over His bruised 
and bleeding shoulders, put a reed into His hands for a 
*5 



226 The Scourging and Crowning with Thorns. 

sceptre, and the derisive coronation was complete. Now 
began that scene of insult and mockery which was so full 
of diabolical cruelty that, were it not recorded in the Sa- 
cred Scripture, we should deem it the invention of fancy 
rather than the sober statement of truth. 

" And the soldiers led Him away into the court of the 
palace, and they call together the whole band: and they 
clothe Him with purple, and platting a crown of thorns, 
they put it upon Him. And they began to salute Him : 
Hail, king of the Jews. And they struck His head with 
a reed, and they spit upon Him, and bowing their knees, 
they adored Him." (Mark xv. 16-19.) Each insult was 
received with shouts of laughter, and every clumsy joke 
made at His expense, and every piece of coarse buffoon- 
ery played upon Him, excited still more their rude hilar- 
ity, and their cruel desire to plague and ridicule Him. 
Oh, how hard must have been the hearts of those men who 
could look into the face of that unresisting victim, and 
thus smite ana flout Him! His eyes were filled with 
blood, His face pale with the intense agony of the thorny 
crown, His whole body seamed and torn with the thongs 
of the scourges: yet, in spite of this, they ceased not to 
add to His sufferings and to insult Him with vile words 
and vulgar jests, till they wearied of their sport. 

And why was this new species of suffering undergone 
by Our Lord? The prediction of the Canticle had to be 
verified: "Go forth, ye daughters of Sion, and see King 
Solomon in the diadem, wherewith his mother crowned 
him in the day of his espousals." (Cant. iii. 11.) For 
Christ is the real Solomon, divine Wisdom itself. On 



The Scourging and Crowning with Thorns. 227 

the day when He signed and sealed His eternal covenant 
with the human race His faithless mother, the Jewish 
synagogue, crowned Him with a crown of thorns. And 
again, why this strange manner of suffering? Alas, for 
the sins of the intellect! The head is supposed to be 
the seat of reason and of the other intellectual faculties. 
There it is that the soul brings to life and indulges in 
all those thoughts and imaginings whereby God is so 
often and so grievously offended. The eternal Father 
therefore deemed it fitting to lay upon the Redeemer's 
head all their crushing weight. As the sharp points of 
the thorns pierced through His flesh, rending and tearing 
His sacred temples, He thought of those who, being filled 
with immoderate self-esteem, look down upon and con- 
temn others. He thought of the countless millions who 
revel in pride, and rob God of the glory which is His 
due. He thought of those who pine away with envy and 
jealousy of their neighbor's good. He thought of those 
who brood over some petty wrong or fancied slight, hatch- 
ing thoughts of revenge. But most of all He thought, 
with shuddering horror, of those who admit into their 
heads and cherish in their hearts wicked thoughts, 
thus turning the temple of God into an abode of the 
devil. Ah, look at Him as He sits there, exposed to the 
insults and rude laughter of these pitiless, cruel execu- 
tioners, so gentle, so patient, so uncomplaining, and 
then reflect upon the share you have had in these atroci- 
ties. Through the mist of blood which is darkening His 
eyes, He gazes wistfully at you and asks for compassion, 
or at least for one tear of sorrow for your share in striking 



228 The Scourging and Crowning with Thorns. 

down upon His head that crown which so cruelly pierces 
His brow. Think upon the thoughts of your soul, and if 
they have ever been such as to torture your Lord, weep over 
them. Kneel before Jesus, not to deride, not to mock, not 
to strike nor spurn Him, but to tell Him the sorrow of your 
heart, and your determination not to offend Him again. 

O thorn-crowned brow of my King and Master! I 
bow down before Thee, down to the very earth, and adore 
Thee. Woe to me if I should be an unworthy, wavering, 
self-seeking member of the body whose Head has thus 
cruelly suffered! Honored crown of thorns, more pre- 
cious than all the crowns of kings and emperors of the 
world, favored instrument in the atoning for my pride 
and my many wicked thoughts — I revere thee, I embrace 
thee, I press thee to my brow, while I implore the Lord 
who wore thee upon His head for grace so patiently to 
wear my own thorny crown of tribulation here below, as 
to be worthy, in the life to come, of a crown of everlast- 
ing bliss. Thee, too, O purple robe, dyed with the blood 
of Jesus, I venerate and love. He chose to be mocked, 
not only in the white garment of derision, but also in the 
purple robe of a king, in order to teach us that not only 
the robe of innocence, but also the vesture of repentance 
and satisfaction can render us pleasing in His eyes. 
O Jesus, I beseech Thee, by the merciful love which 
Thou didst exhibit in permitting Thyself to be clad in a 
purple garment and thus to be ridiculed by a brutal sol- 
diery, permit not that I should dishonor, by slavery to sin 
and passion, the sacred and kingly dignity to which Thou 
wast pleased to exalt me in the Sacrament of Baptism! 



CHAPTER XXV. 



" BEHOLD THE MAN !" JESUS IS CONDEMNED TO DEATH. 



HEN" the soldiers conducted the lacerated, bleed- 



V V ing, and thorn-crowned Saviour into Pilate's 
presence, he was shocked and frightened at the result of 
his orders, and thinking it would not be possible for the 
Jews to remain unmoved at the deplorable appearance 
of their victim, he accompanied Jesus to the balcony, 
and showed Him to the crowd. " Pilate therefore went 
forth again, and saith to them: Behold I bring Him 
forth unto you, that you may know that I nnd no cause 
in Him. (Jesus therefore came forth, bearing the crown 
of thorns and the purple garment.) And he saith to them, 
Behold the Man." (John xix. 4, 5.) 

" Behold the Man!" These words, few and simple as 
they seem, have in them a depth of meaning which we 
must try to fathom. Coming from the lips of the Roman 
governor, they were meant to convey to the people some 
such ideas as these: " Here is the Man who called Him- 
self your king; who made Himself equal to God; who 
threatened to overthrow your temple and in three days 
to build it up again. For these offences, frivolous as I 
deem them to be, I have punished Him with the utmost 
rigor in order to satisfy you. Look at Him! Behold 




230 



Behold the Man ! 



the Man! He is clothed in His royal purple; His body 
is torn with numberless wounds; His face is swollen with 
blows and defiled with spittle; His eyes are full of blood, 
His head is crowned with thorns; He is bound like a 
criminal; He has been degraded and punished severely. 
Be satisfied, therefore, with the punishment I have in- 
flicted upon Him; for He has suffered enough to atone 
for His folly and His offences." 

" Behold the Man!'' My soul, look attentively at Him 
as He stands before thee, His hands manacled, His 
whole body lacerated, gashed, and streaming with blood, 
disfigured, helpless, friendless. Oh, turn not aside thy 
eyes — look at Him, behold the Man, and remember that 
it was thou — yes, thou thyself — who by thy sins didst re- 
duce thy Saviour to this suffering and degradation, as it 
is written in the Book of Isaias the prophet: "He was 
wounded for our iniquities, He was bruised for our sins." 
(Is. iii. 5.) Look well upon Him, and examine every 
line, every expression of His sacred countenance; look 
long and carefully, so that this image may become indel- 
ibly imprinted on thy mind; for on the judgment-day 
thou shalt see Him again. On that day angels will cry 
out to every quarter of the globe : " Behold the Man who 
loved thee so tenderly and truly, who surrendered Him- 
self to the most dreadful pain for thy sake. Behold the 
Man who in the height of His torture sighed only for 
thee, wept only for thee, and for thee poured forth His 
precious blood in torrents from His gaping wounds." O 
careless soul, how will it fare with thee then, if thou hast 
despised such mercy and turned a deaf ear to the call of 



Behold the Man! 231 

thy loving Lord! " Behold the Man \" Now, while thou 
hast time and opportunity, enter into judgment against 
thyself. Throw thyself into the bleeding arms of thy 
Saviour, and by penance and amendment of life turn to 
a good account for thyself His passion and death. 

The pitiful spectacle of the thorn -crowned Jesus moved 
not the stony hearts of the cruel Jews. The words of the 
governor were received with one long and piercing cry 
for His life. '''When the chief priests therefore and the 
servants had seen Him, they cried out. saying: Crucify 
Him. crucify Him. Pilate saith to them : Take Him you 
and crucify Him : for I find no cause in Him. The Jews 
answered him : We have a law, and according to the law 
He ought to die, because He made Himself the Son of 
God." (John xix. 4-7.) "And Pilate saith to them: 
Why, what evil hath He done? But they cried out the 
more: Crucify Him. And so Pilate, being" willing: to 
satisfy the people, released to them Barabbas, and deliv- 
ered up Jesus.'"' (Mark xv. 14, 15.) 

The Roman governor at length began to see that all 
his efforts to deliver Jesus were in vain. He was startled 
by the wild rage of the populace, and fearful of the con- 
sequences if he attempted to resist their wishes any lon- 
ger. Though he had repeatedly pronounced Jesus free 
from all guilt, he nevertheless weakly gives way before 
the clamor of an excited mob. and delivers Him up to 
their pleasure. " And Pilate seeing that he prevailed 
nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, taking water, 
washed his hands before the people, saying: I am inno- 
cent of the blood of this just Man : look you to it. And 



232 Jesus is Condemned to Death, 



the whole people answered: Let His blood be upon us 
and upon our children. 7 ' (Matt, xxviii. 24, 25.) 

And now the judicial sentence has been pronounced, 
and Jesus is sentenced to death like a common malefac- 
tor. O ever-memorable sentence, in which the most hid- 
eous depths of human malice and the loftiest mysteries of 
divine mercy meet and mingle, and are made manifest! 
The inconstancy of the Jewish people, the avarice of the 
traitor Judas, the craft of the Pharisees, the blind incre- 
dulity of the scribes, the bloodthirsty hatred of the chief 
priests, and the cowardly selfishness and political cun- 
ning of the pagan governor — all these culminated in the 
judicial sentence of Pilate. But, inconceivable miracle! 
at the same moment eternal mercy speaks by the tongue 
of this same Pilate. For the Lord had placed on His 
well -beloved Son all our iniquities. Now, in order that 
the sentence of everlasting death under which mankind 
had fallen by the sin of their first father, Adam, might be 
repealed and annulled, the second Adam, and the first 
father of a spiritual humanity, permits the awful sentence 
of Pilate to come upon His divine head. 

Pilate would rather not have pronounced this sentence, 
and was anxious to set Jesus at liberty. With this view 
he had publicly and solemnly declared that he could dis- 
cover no guilt in the prisoner accused. With the same 
intent, too, he had placed the criminal Barabbas side by 
side with Jesus, hoping that in choosing between two 
such different persons the Jewish people would certainly 
decide in favor of the innocent man. With the same 
view he had presented Jesus to them immediately after 



Jesus is Condemned to Death. 



233 



the dreadful scourging, and endeavored to excite their 
sympathy by calling their attention to the lacerated per- 
son of their victim. With the same object in view, he 
had, by washing his hands publicly, expressed his disap- 
probation of the proceeding. But all these feeble and 
indecisive efforts do not exculpate him, or even mitigate 
the iniquity of his sentence. And though his sin, as Our 
Lord Himself declared, was less than the crime of the 
chief priests who had delivered Him up, yet the name 
of Pontius Pilate, like that of Caiphas and of Judas, 
will stand branded with execration during all ages. 

Pilate was fully convinced of Christ's innocence, and 
as he had full power as the representative of the Roman 
emperor to liberate Him, he was strongly inclined through 
his hatred of the Pharisees to save the life of Jesus. But, 
nevertheless, with cunning political adroitness, he sends 
this just Man to Herod, delivers Him up to the cruel 
scourging, and finally yields to the sanguinary demands 
of the chief priests, and permits Him to be crucified. 
Alas, Pilate is one of those unhappy beings who, under 
pretence of honesty, of philanthropy, and rational com- 
pliance, sacrifice to their own selfish ends the noblest and 
holiest principles. How many warnings he had received ! 
The wonderful majesty of Christ's presence filled him 
with involuntary reverence. His own conscience told 
him that this was a just man. His wife, Claudia Procula, 
warned him not to pronounce the unjust sentence, basing 
her admonition on a dream she had, to which circum- 
stance the pagan Romans paid the greatest attention, con- 
sidering such dreams to be the expression of a divine 



234 



Jesus is Condemned to Death. 



oracle. Even the very charge made by the chief priests, 
that Christ made Himself the Son of God, awoke a mo- 
mentary warning in his heart. Yet the unhappy gover- 
nor rejected all these salutary admonitions, and for no 
other motive than the fear of losing the good-will of the 
^emperor. Strange and unheard-of spectacle! Here is a 
judge who repeatedly declares before the assembled mul- 
titude that the prisoner on trial is a man whose conduct 
has ever been free from blame. He knows full well that 
the accusers are actuated by malice. The witnesses, too, 
are lamentably at variance with each other, and give con- 
tradictory evidence. Yet he has not manhood enough to 
stem the tide of public prejudice and to pronounce in 
favor of justice. He weakly yields; and while proclaim- 
ing Jesus to be innocent, basely condemns Him to death. 
Nevertheless, he would save his conscience by an empty 
ceremony ; he would wash away the murderous stain from 
his hands with a little water! 

Pilate is the type of a great many Christians. They 
know perfectly well the justice and goodness of God's 
ordinances. They have for them even a sort of admira- 
tion, as for something which, in the abstract, is good 
and beautiful. But when they are forced to confront 
their fierce, tumultuous passions, they shrink from the 
labor and difficulty of subduing them: and rather than 
undertake so arduous a task, they trample under foot all 
the sacred claims of truth and justice. 

If we imitate this wretched example, that curse will 
fall upon us which fell both upon the Jewish people and 
upon him who weakly yielded to their fanatical rage. 



Jesas is Condemned to Death. 235 

The blood of Jesus will be upon us for our destruction, 
and its crimson stain will mark us for punishment. But 
let us not incur so wretched a fate. Let us strive rather 
to make the blood of Jesus fall upon us for our eternal 
welfare. That precious stream has flowed upon us 
and over us in the holy sacraments. Let us bear in 
mind that God sealed us with it in Baptism ; that we 
swore allegiance to Him and became His soldiers in 
Confirmation: that with it He feeds us in the Holy Eu- 
charist; with it washes us from the tilth of our sins in 
Penance ; that by it He procures teachers and ministers 
for us in Holy Orders; and in the Sacrament of Matri- 
mony infuses with that same blood strength to those that 
receive it to be faithful to each other and to fulfil the 
obligations of their state of life. 

To the Jews, their cry, " His blood be upon us and 
upon our children," brought a horrible inheritance, a 
lasting curse. To us, that same blood has brought ines- 
timable blessings. May it continue to fall upon our 
hearts like a fertilizing rain, cleansing and purifying 
them, and making them bring forth fruit unto everlasting 
life. 

O my beloved Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who 
wast clothed in derision with the purple garment, and 
crowned with a wreath of thorns, grant that the sacred 
purple robe of charity may clothe my soul, — that I, while 
on earth, may by wearing willingly the thorny crown of 
penance and mortification prepare for myself a share in 
the crown of Thy glory. 

O beloved Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who so pa- 



236 Jesus is Condemned to Death, 

tiently didst bear in Thy right hand, instead of the royal 
sceptre, the reed of mockery, extend that blessed right 
hand of Thine to me in my helplessness; grant that it 
may plant in my soul the kingdom of truth and grace. 

O beloved Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who didst 
submit to mocking reverence, and didst suffer Thyself to 
be derisively termed king, grant that I may at all times 
adore Thee in spirit and in truth, and acknowledge Thee 
to be the only true King of heaven and earth. 

O beloved Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who vast 
sentenced to the death of the cross by the unjust judge 
Pilate, grant that I may judge myself according to the 
holiness of Thy law, and bear with humility and docility 
the judgments of my fellow-men. 



CHAPTER XXVI. 



THE WAY OF THE CROSS. 

WHEN the fatal words of condemnation had passed 
the lips of Pilate, great haste was made to carry 
the sentence into execution. " And after they had mocked 
Him, they took off the purple from Him, and put His 
own garments on Him: and they led Him out to crucify 
Him." (Mark xv. 20.) "And bearing His own cross 
He went forth to that place which is called Calvary, but 
in Hebrew Golgotha.' 7 (John xix. 17.) The execution- 
ers took off the purple garment which Jesus had worn 
since His crowning with thorns. His tunic, which was 
woven, was of one piece, and had only an opening for the 
head ; hence, before it could be put on Him, it was nec- 
essary to take off the crown of thorns. As the soldiers 
handled Our Lord very roughly, there is no doubt that 
many of the thorns broke off and remained fast in the 
wounds they had caused. What pain this must have 
been! Christian soul, have compassion on your divine 
Saviour, who suffered so much for you. 

After they had replaced His garments, they again put 
the crown of thorns on His head. As the thorns caused 
fresh wounds, we can imagine what intense pain Our 
Lord suffered; indeed, only His omnipotence and His 

237 



2 3 8 



The Way of the Cross. 



desire to suffer for us sustained Him, so that He did not 
die of this cruel treatment. 

Then the executioners bound Him tightly with ropes 
and chains, for it was customary so to lead criminals 
condemned to death to the place of execution. Thereby 
His garments were pressed fast into the wounds with 
which His body was covered, which were thus irritated 
by every movement. 

A rude cross which had been hastily constructed was 
now brought to the place where Jesus stood. When our 
blessed Lord's eyes first fell upon the cross, His human 
nature shuddered for an instant. But remembering that 
it was to be the instrument of salvation, His soul was 
gladdened, and with deep emotion He clasped it in His 
arms and kissed it. Then it was laid upon His shoulder; 
the centurion in command of the soldiers gave the word 
to advance, and Jesus set forth upon the last weary jour- 
ney of His mortal life. Everywhere the streets were 
thronged with a multitude of people, eager to see Him 
pass to His death. Veiling men, curious women, thought- 
less children, exulting enemies, jealous priests, jeering 
Pharisees, coarse soldiers, and in the midst Our Saviour, 
tottering under the weight of His cross. There were 
some who exulted over Him, either because He had not 
feared to denounce their wicked lives, or because His 
heavenly wisdom had brought confusion upon them when 
they attempted to contradict His teaching or to gainsay 
His word. Others were indignant that they had been 
carried away and deceived by a man upon whom they 
were now taught to look as an impostor. Some few pit- 



Christ Carrying His Cross. 



The Way of the Cross. 239 

ied Him, and they were laughed at and despised for their 
weakness and sympathy. Thus, in the midst of His ene- 
mies, with their gibes and scoffs and bitter taunts ring- 
ing in His ears and piercing His heart with sorrow, our 
Redeemer staggers slowly along under the weight of the 
heavy cross. A strong man would have found its burden 
as much as his strength could bear; but Our Lord, in 
His pitiable condition, after so many hours of bodily and 
mental torture, and after so much loss of blood, must 
have been well-nigh crushed beneath its weight. Behold 
Him, as His weary eyes look sorrowfully around, search- 
ing for one friendly, compassionate glance. The perspi- 
ration is trickling down His face in great beads; it is 
purpled with the blood which flows from its many 
wounds. His hands are trembling, He is panting with 
fatigue; the whole scene swims around Him, and He falls 
under His burden, not once only, but again and again. 
Is there no one present to pity Him? None! He is 
lifted up and pushed forward. There is no more rest for 
Him in this world, for He is bearing the heavy load of 
our sins. 

Fix your eyes well upon Jesus as He totters under the 
weight of the cross. That spectacle will give you cour- 
age to bear your own petty crosses; it will give you 
strength to follow in the footsteps of Our Lord. And 
should you ever grow weary and be well-nigh fainting 
under your burden, look at Jesus and persevere. Say to 
yourself: " Can I not bear this light and easy weight for 
the love of Him who. beneath the crushing weight of the 
cross t looks at me with weary eyes, and asks me to keep 



240 



The Way of the Cross. 



Him company?" Surely, after all that He has suffered 
for you, you will not refuse Him this little consolation. 

"And there followed Him a great multitude of people, 
and of women, who bewailed and lamented Him. But 
Jesus, turning to them, said: Daughters of Jerusalem, 
weep not over Me, but weep for yourselves and for your 
children. For behold the days shall come wherein they 
will say : Blessed are the barren and the wombs that have 
not borne, and the paps that have not given suck. Then 
they shall begin to say to the mountains: Fall upon us; 
and to the hills: Cover us. For if in the green wood 
they do these things, what shall be done in the dry?" 
(Luke xxiii. 27—31.) These words of Our Lord to the 
weeping women teach us that the grief excited by the 
contemplation of His sufferings must not be a grief of 
mere sentiment: if it be of that nature, it will be fruit- 
less. Our sorrow must be made to spring from grief at 
the cause of Our Lord's sufferings. It must be a sorrow 
for our sins and for our unmortirled passions. To shed 
tears for Our Lord from any other motive is to indulge 
a morbid sensibility: solid piety is rarely generated by 
it. It is for the most part a mere matter of nerves, and 
does not affect the will so as to move it to action. 

''And as they led Him away they laid hold of one Si- 
mon of Cyrene coming from the country: and they laid 
the cross on him to carry after Jesus." (Luke xxiii. 26.) 
Jesus had probably stumbled under His heavy burden, 
and fallen, and His executioners, fearing lest He should 
die before reaching the appointed spot, seized upon Si- 
mon, and compelled him to carry the instrument of tor- 



The Way of the Cross. 



241 



ture after Our Lord. Simon of Cyrene, we are told, 
made a virtue of necessity, and carried Our Lord's cross 
willingly, so that he thereby changed what was a dis- 
graceful imposition into a source of merit and salvation. 
Let the example of Simon furnish you with an additional - 
reason for patiently enduring the little trials and contra- 
dictions of life. Like him, you will be thereby made to 
share in the suffering of your Redeemer. You will be 
bearing the cross with your Lord, and atoning for your 
sins. Think of this when the burden of daily routine 
presses heavily upon you. Look up: Jesus is before you 
— faint, weary, panting with exhaustion. Take up your 
burden cheerfully : it is the cross which you are helping 
your Saviour to carry. 

Tradition tells us that the Mother of Jesus, led and 
protected by the beloved disciple, stood by the wayside 
to catch a glimpse of her beloved Son as He went to 
death. Who can conceive her agony on seeing her ten- 
derly cherished Child, her adorable Lord and God, thus 
dishonored and abused? Legend relates that, immedi- 
ately after the capture of Jesus in the garden, several of 
the apostles, particularly St. John, hastened to Bethania 
to break the news to the Blessed Virgin and other 
friends. The holy Mother, who had anticipated this 
affliction, besought St. John to accompany her to Jerusa- 
lem, that she might see her deserted, desolate, and suffer- 
ing Son, be near Him, and perhaps find an opportunity to 
offer Him some little relief, or, at least, some words of 
sympathy and encouragement. What must have been 
their thoughts and feelings as they hurried, side by side, 
16 



242 



The Way of the Cross. 



from Bethania, over the brook Cedron, and up the steep 
hill to Jerusalem! And when, after traversing in breath- 
less haste the intervening streets, they reached the palace 
of Caiphas, what a dreadful state of mind was that of the 
grief -stricken and frightened Mary, as she heard within 
the palace the wild laughter and the cruel mockeries with 
which the soldiers and servants taunted the innocent 
Jesus! Although repeatedly pushed violently back by 
the officers, Mary succeeded in keeping near her dear 
Son, whom she accompanied on His painful journey 
from the high-priest's dwelling to the house of Pilate 
and to Herod's court, and thus became a witness of His 
ill-treatment and horrible indignities. 

As Jesus staggered along under the weight of the 
cross, and came nigh to the place where His Mother was, 
He raised His weary head and looked into her face. 
Their eyes met, and the sword of sorrow, foretold by 
Simeon, entered into her soul. There was her Child 
and her God! He had ever been so loving, so obedient, 
so gentle to her; and now she saw Him disgraced, re- 
viled, and insulted. She heard the bitter reproaches of 
the priests and scribes: she saw the savage blows, and 
the merciless soldiers goading on the unresisting Victim, 
As Jesus looked into her white and agonized face, and 
saw the speechless woe stamped upon her features, He 
trembled in every limb, His little remaining strength 
forsook Him, and He fell prostrate to the ground. Who 
can doubt that the Mother was in an instant by the side 
of her Son, and imprinted upon His brow the parting 
kiss? Neither priest, nor scribe, nor soldier, hardened 



The Way of the Cross. 



243 



and brutal as they might be, would dare interfere or 
lay a hand upon her in that last act of maternal affection. 

Alas, dearest Mother, how thy heart must have 
throbbed with anguish, and terror, and indignation, at 
the appalling sight before thee! O heroic and dauntless 
Virgin! Mother of sorrows! I implore thee, by all the 
tears which thou didst shed when beholding thy Son 
staggering under the weight of the cross, to obtain for 
me the grace to follow in His and thy footsteps. 

From our holy Mother Mary we may learn never to be 
ashamed of Our Lord. At the moment when she met 
Him, He was branded a public malefactor. The people 
were told that He was no prophet, that He was not a 
just man, that He was not the expected Messias. The 
priests, it was said, had unmasked Him, and found Him 
to be nothing more than a clever impostor, whose cun- 
ning had failed to serve Him just as He was on the 
point of carrying away with Him the minds and hearts 
of all. She was pointed at as the Mother of this noto- 
rious criminal, whom the Roman governor had just con- 
demned to death. It was looked upon as a disgrace to 
have known Him, or to have been in His company. 
What must it have been to be His Mother? But 
that loving Mother acknowledged Him in the pres- 
ence of them all. She followed in His footsteps ; she 
stood by Him faithfully to the end. Learn from her 
never to be ashamed of Jesus before men, that He may 
never have cause to disown you before the face of heaven 
and earth, on the great accounting day. 

Among the tender-hearted women who pushed their way 



244 



The Way of the Cross. 



through the crowd to be near Jesus, and to offer Him 
their sympathy, was one in particular, named Veronica, 
of whom reliable tradition relates a very touching inci- 
dent. She was a lady of wealth and position, whose 
name was Seraphia, and who lived in a house on a street 
through which Jesus was to pass on His way to Calvary. 
Seeing Him, as He drew near, weak and suffering, cov- 
ered with perspiration and blood, her heart was touched 
with compassion. She hastened into the street, forced 
her way through the wild crowd, and, undismayed by the 
threats of the officers, came before Jesus, and, falling 
on her knees, offered Him a handkerchief, saying: " Be 
pleased, O Lord, to wipe Thy suffering face with the 
handkerchief of Thy unworthy handmaid." Jesus, full 
of gratitude, looked benignantly at the tender-hearted 
woman, took the cloth and applied it to His face, and, 
much refreshed, handed it back to Seraphia. He passed 
on, and she re-entered her dwelling, when, lo! a miracle. 
On looking at the handkerchief, she saw imprinted upon 
it the likeness of the divine countenance. Thus did Our 
Lord repay the kindness of His servant. Seraphia be- 
came a Christian, taking the name of Veronica. The 
miraculous impression of the face of Jesus passed into 
the hands of Pope Clement, and has since remained one 
of the most cherished relics of the Church. 

Merciful Jesus, we beseech Thee that all who con- 
tritely venerate the image of Thy holy face, disfigured as it 
appears by the sufferings caused by our sins, may be made 
worthy, through the merits of Thy bitter passion, to behold 
Thy divine countenance forever in the glory of heaven. 



CHAPTER XXVII. 



THE CRUCIFIXION OF JESUS. 

JESUS at length reached the spot where He was to 
suffer the worst punishment His enemies could in- 
flict. In order to degrade Him in the eyes of His na- 
tion, they caused Him to be led thither in company with 
two malefactors, who were about to receive the just re- 
ward of their crimes. " And there were also two others, 
malefactors, led with Him, to be put to death." (Luke 
xxiii. 32.) By this additional ignominy, however, the 
enemies of Jesus unconsciously fulfilled the prophecy of 
Isaias, who said of Our Lord : " He was reputed with the 
wicked." (Is. liii. 12.) As He stood upon the brow 
of Calvary, meekly awaiting the completion of the ar- 
rangements for His death, there was offered to Him, ac- 
cording to custom, a draught of wine mingled with myrrh. 
"And they gave Him to drink wine mingled with myrrh, 
but He took it not." (Mark xv. 23.) Our Lord just put 
His lips to the cup that He might taste of its bitterness, 
and then refused the draught, that He might be able to 
drain the chalice of suffering to the very dregs; for this 
wine was given to criminals who were about to die, for 
the purpose of deadening their senses to the agony of 
their torments. He was then stripped of His garments. 

245 



246 



The Crucifixion of Jesus. 



This inflicted upon Him a twofold torment: one of 
physical pain, by re-opening once more all the wounds 
He had received in His cruel scourging; the other of 
moral torture, by exposing Him naked to the gaze of the 
multitude. Being thus made ready for the sacrifice, He 
was thrown upon the cross, and the revolting scene of 
His crucifixion began. 

A huge nail was fixed upon the palm of one hand, and 
the point driven home by the blows of a hammer, through 
the quivering flesh and muscles, into the wood of the 
transverse beam. Then seizing the other arm, which had 
shrunk in the agony of this cruel torture, the executioners 
stretched and pulled it till the hand reached the spot 
marked in the wood for the nail. Again the blows were 
struck, and again the nail was driven into the w r ood of 
the cross. The sacred feet of the unresisting Saviour 
were then drawn down and fastened into the place 
marked for them. How fearful must this spectacle have 
been ! We cannot bear to look upon a trivial surgical 
operation; how could we have stood by while Jesus 
suffered this terrible agony for us? There He lay, 
crushed beneath the weight of the world's iniquity, silent 
and uncomplaining. After a few moments the soldiers 
came, and, raising the cross aloft, carried it to the hole 
which had been made in the ground to receive it. There 
it was finally secured, and the disfigured, scourge-torn, 
bleeding form of Our Lord appeared high above the 
heads of all, a spectacle unto angels and men. 

Look at your Lord and Master as He hangs upon the 
cross, and learn from Him a lesson of patience and 



The Crucifixion of Jesus. 



247 



resignation. No word of repining, no murmur of com- 
plaint will ever break from the lips of him who fixes his 
eyes upon that torn and bleeding Victim. It matters not 
how sorely he may be tried, either by anguish of mind or 
pain of body, his sum of woe cannot even be compared 
with that ocean of sorrow which deluged the heart of 
Jesus. O all ye that pass the way, attend, and see if 
there be any sorrow like to My sorrow." (Lament. L 12.) 

You may be tempted severely by the devil ; he may 
give you no rest day or night, but fill your mind with 
foul images, whisper filthy suggestions into your ear, and 
affright you with his illusions. This is a sore trial, but 
it cannot equal the cross. Your heart may be oppressed 
with despondency; your spirit may faint within you, and 
all hope seemingly die out of your soul; yet, dark and 
God-forsaken as your life may appear, it cannot equal the 
gloom and abandonment of the cross. Even when all 
you undertake fails miserably, and a blight falls upon 
the plans which ought to succeed, reflect that your life 
cannot possibly be a greater failure than seemed the life 
of Our Lord, which closed amid the horrors of a public 
execution. 

If corporal infirmities, such as sickness, should attack 
you, look at the cross, and you will bear the pain with 
patience. In the loss of all that is dear to you, when 
parents die, when children are called away, when prop- 
erty is lost, or friends prove unfaithful, look at the cross : 
Jesus is there, stripped of all He possessed, deprived of 
His good name, abandoned by His disciples, without a 
spot on which to rest His dying head, or a friendly hand 



248 



The Crucifixion of Jesus. 



to wipe away the gathering sweat of death. There is no 
one nigh to Him but His loving Mother, whose presence 
does not assuage but rather augments His pain; and as 
fur the few friends who with her have not feared to stand 
by the cross, their grief only serves to cut Him to the 
heart. Verily, then, does Jesus hang before us a Man 
of sorrows. 

We must not, however, contemplate Jesus hanging on 
the cross merely for the purpose of making our own mis- 
fortunes bearable. We must meditate upon His suffer- 
ings in order to obtain from Him. through their merits, 
that courage which will enable us to support the ills of 
life with that holy resignation which He displayed in the 
midst of His bitter passion. In times of temptation, 
when the weary and harassed soul begins to sigh for rest, 
and to think that, perhaps, it would be better to yield, 
the sight of Jesus hanging on the cross will inspire us 
with a willingness to bear that which, after all, is a mere 
nothing compared with the misery of sin. It will tell us 
to be brave and generous, and not to fling down our arms 
under the very eves of our Chief, who has borne the 
brunt of the fight, and broken for us the might of our 
adversary's arm. In times of dejection it will bid us 
hope on, and wait confidently for the moment when God 
shall visit us again. Did not the dark pall of disgrace 
and of death hang gloomily enough over the crucified 
form of Our Lord on Calvary? Yet there was in store 
for Him the glorious clay of His resurrection. So, also, 
will it be with us. We are in darkness and in sorrow- 
now, but let us wait patiently for the Lord, and He will 



The Crucifixion of Jesus. 



249 



give us the desire of our hearts. And if our projects do 
fail, even so we must not iose courage. The recollection 
of Our Lord's perseverance in a career which, to the eyes 
of men, seemed to be an utter failure, ought to enable us 
to go on hopefully and perseveringly, till we win our 
crown. In sickness and in pain, a glance at the cross 
will remind us that it was for our sins that God struck 
His only Son; and we shall be comforted and strength- 
ened to bear patiently our illness, by the thought that 
we are making some little atonement for our sins, and 
helping Our Lord to carry their heavy weight. And 
should death take away those who are dear to us, or 
should false friends desert us in the days when fortune 
smiles not upon us, still when we look at the cross we 
feel assured that there is One, at least, who will stand 
by us to the last, to soothe and to comfort us, because we 
have ever turned to Him to learn how to bear our sor- 
rows and our trials, and have made them bearable by 
seeing that none of them can be compared to His. 

O adorable crucified hands of my Saviour, so bountiful 
in dispensing blessings and goods of every kind to Thy 
creatures, but now so frightfully lacerated on account of 
my sins! I salute ye, and kiss ye, and press ye to my 
heart. O beloved sacred feet of my Saviour, although ye 
have always trodden the path of virtue, and hurried about 
eager to carry blessings to all, ye are now torn with harsh 
and jagged nails for my sins! I would wash away your 
blood with my tears. O precious blood of my Saviour, 
flowing from the wounds in hands and feet — cleanse me, 
heal the wounds that sin has made in my soul ! 



250 



The Crucifixion of fesus. 



" And they that passed blasphemed Him, wagging their 
heads, and saying: Vah, Thou that destroyest the Tem- 
ple of God, and in three days buildest it up again : save 
Thyself, coming clown from the cross. In like manner 
also the chief priests, mocking, said with the scribes one 
to another: He saved others, Himself He cannot save. 
Let Christ, the king of Israel, come down now from the 
cross, that we may see and believe. And they that were 
crucified with Him reviled Him/' (Mark xv. 29-32.) 
What a spectacle was this ! Men, the chiefs and leaders 
of the people, so far forget both themselves and the sanc- 
tity of their office as to mingle with a crowd of scoffers, 
cursing and reviling their now helpless Victim. They 
put the word of scorn, of bitter taunt, into the mouths 
of those who had not wit enough to frame it for them- 
selves, and so led the chorus of hate and malignity 
which struck upon the ears of Christ dying upon the 
cross. 

How deeply must these insults have wounded the heart 
of Our Lord! The priests and scribes jeered at Him for 
four things in which He took the greatest glory. In the 
first place, they derided His power. If He was, as He 
pretended to be, the Son of God, where was that omnipo- 
tence which must have been His in consequence of His 
divine nature? He had not been able to frustrate the 
treacherous design of a false disciple, nor to escape from 
His captors. He could not ward off the blows showered 
down upon Him, nor avoid the sentence of death, nor 
loose Himself from the cross. " He saved others, Him- 
self He cannot save." Therefore all His miraculous 



The Crucifixion of Jesus. 



251 



works were nothing better than cunning impostures, con- 
trived and executed by the aid of the devil. 

In the next place, they sneered at His royalty. " If 
He be the king of Israel, let Him come down from the 
cross. There He hangs, this so-called king! A king 
without subjects, crowned with thorns, with a reed for 
His sceptre and a gibbet for His throne!" They forgot 
that He had said: "My kingdom is not of this world;" 
that the day was coming when they should see Him 
seated upon the throne of His majesty. Their shouts of 
rage had drowned all this. 

Furthermore, they dared to jeer at Him even for the 
confidence which He placed in God. They cried: 
"Where is that boasted trust of His in God? If such a 
man as He ever had any trust in God, let God now show 
that such was the case. Let Him prove that this crimi- 
nal is innocent, by coming to deliver Him; for if He is 
His Son, God will surely claim His own." 

Finally, to crown all their profane and blasphemous 
injuries, they insult Him for saying that He is the Son 
of God. At His trial they charged Him with blasphemy 
for having uttered the words, and shrieked out that He 
was worthy of death for daring to usurp such a title: and 
now they taunt Him with it. Jesus, on His cross, could 
dimly see them through the mist of blood and the shad- 
ows of death which were falling over His eyes. He was 
dying to save them, and they were looking up at Him, 
jeering at Him, wagging their heads in mockery, and 
gloating over Him in the bitter agony of His death. 
All the time the crimson drops were falling one by one 



252 



The Crucifixion of Jesus. 



upon the earth; He generously gave all His blood to 
save them, but they would not have it; they trampled it 
under their feet in the dust. 

Do not imagine that the mockers of Jesus have ceased 
to exist. The impiety of those who dared to insult Him 
in His death has been imitated, and is still imitated at 
the present day. Some, like the Roman soldiers, deride 
Him by their unbelief; others, like the Jewish people, 
by their wicked lives. And, again, there are others, like 
the priests and ancients, who turn the special gifts and 
favors bestowed upon them by God into so many instru- 
ments with which to offend Him. Take a glance at your 
past and present, and see whether you ought to count 
yourself among those who reviled and jeered at Our 
Lord. If the past has upon its records many a dark ac- 
count scored up against you, let us hope that tears of re- 
pentance have long since cancelled your debt. But look 
well to the present, and see whether you are not hurried 
away with the crowd, and mixed up with those who jeer 
at Christ, by trampling under foot His holy law. 

" And Pilate wrote a title also, and he put it on the 
cross. And the writing was: Jesus of Nazareth, the 
King of the Jews. This title, therefore, many of the 
Jews did read: because the place where Jesus was cruci- 
fied was nigh to the city: and it was written in Hebrew, 
Greek, and Latin. Then the chief priests of the Jews 
said to Pilate : Write not, the King of the Jews, but that 
He said, I am the King of the Jews. Pilate answered : 
What I have written, I have wTitten." (John xix. 
19-22.) Admirable dispensation of Providence! The 



The Crucifixion of Jesus. 



253 



decree of the eternal Father guides the very hand of the 
unjust judge to write in the inscription no other charge 
and no other cause of condemnation, but that Jesus was 
really and truly the Messias foretold by the prophets, 
a Nazarene, and king of the Jews. Of this inscrip- 
tion we are reminded by the four letters I. N. R. I., 
which we see at the top of every crucifix, and which are 
the initials of the Latin words, Jesus Nazarenus Rex 
Judceorum — " Jesus the Nazarene, the King of the Jews/' 
We may, moreover, be reminded also of another inscrip- 
tion, or handwriting, alluded to by St. Paul, saying: 
" Blotting out the handwriting of the decree that was 
against us, which was contrary to us, and He hath taken 
the same away, fastening it to the cross." (Col. ii. 14.) 
What is the meaning of this handwriting? It is nothing 
more or less than the sin-record of man, blotted out bv 
the Redeemer. Rejoice, O sinful mankind! This bill 
of indictment has been nailed to the cross, and cancelled 
by the saving blood of Jesus Christ. Henceforth no 
man shall perish on account of his sins; for if he perish, 
it will be only because he failed to apply this saving 
blood to his soul, by faith, hope, charity, and obedience. 



PRAYER TO BE SAID BEFORE A CRUCIFIX. 

Look down upon me, good and gentle Jesus, while be- 
fore Thy face I humbly kneel and with burning soul 
pray and beseech Thee to fix deep in my heart lively sen- 
timents of faith, hope, and charity, true contrition for my 
sins, and a firm purpose of amendment: the while I con- 



^54 



The Crucifixion of Jesus. 



template with great love and tender pity Thy five wounds, 
pondering over them within me, whilst I call to mind the 
words which David, Thy prophet, said of Thee, my Jesus: 
"They pierced My hands and feet; they numbered all 
My bones." (Ps. xxi. 17, 18.) 

Note. — For the above prayer Pope Pius IX., July 31st, 185S, 
granted a plenary indulgence, when it is said contritely and with 
devotion, after confession and communion, before an image or 
picture of our crucified Redeemer, and praying, at the same time, 
for the Sovereign Pontiff. 



CHAPTER XXVIII. 



THE SEVEN LAST WORDS OF JESUS. 

NO insult, no sneers, no taunt, however bitter, had 
been able thus far to exhaust the patience of Jesus 
as He hung upon the cross. He made no retort, He ut- 
tered not a syllable in answer to the outrageous conduct 
of the Jews. It was their hour, the hour of darkness, and 
they might consequently do and say to Him what they 
pleased. But, being mindful of us, He wished to teach 
us a lesson by word, as well as by example, and therefore 
uttered some few words from the cross, which show the 
sentiments wherewith His heart was animated in that 
supreme moment. They were not words of indignation, 
nor a cry for vengeance: He was the Saviour, and there- 
fore His heart was full of mercy and forgiveness, which 
found expression in the utterances of His last hour. 
Listen eagerly and attentively. Christian reader, to these 
parting words of your dying Saviour: treasure them up 
carefully in your heart; reflect and meditate seriously on 
them. 

i. "Father, forgive them, for they knout not what they 
do" (Luke xxiii. 34.) 

What a prayer at such a moment! Utterly forgetful of 
Himself, Jesus was thinking only of His tormentors. He 
prays for them, and thus literally fulfils His own grand 

255 



256 



The Seven Last Words of Jesus. 



precept of charity. They were cursing and reviling Him, 
and He blessed them. Racked and tortured, both in 
body and mind, to a degree beyond all conception, He 
has more compassion and more solicitude for His unre- 
lenting persecutors than for Himself. His soul is more 
pained at the thought of the eternal condemnation await- 
ing these blinded creatures than by all the insulting re- 
proaches which they continue to heap upon Him in this 
hour of His extreme anguish. He prays for these His 
merciless enemies, who in their persistent, culpable, and 
passionate blindness will not recognize and acknowledge 
His divinity. 

2. " This day thou shalt be with Me i?i paradise." 
(Luke xxiii. 43.) 

To render the death of Our Lord more ignominious, 
there were crucified with Him two thieves, the one on 
His right hand, the other on the left. " And one of those 
robbers who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying: If 
Thou be Christ, save Thyself and us. But the other an- 
swering rebuked him, saying: Neither dost thou fear 
God, seeing thou art under the same condemnation. And 
we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our 
deeds; but this man hath done no evil. And he said to 
Jesus : Lord, remember me when Thou shalt come into 
Thy kingdom. And Jesus said to him: Amen, I say to 
thee, this day thou shalt be with Me in paradise." 
(Luke xxiii. 39-43.) Who was this highly favored man, 
whose privilege it was to be the first to reap the fruits of 
Christ's suffering, and to hear these w 7 ords of consola- 
tion ? Holy Scripture furnishes neither his name nor his 



The Seven Last Words of Jesus. 



?57 



previous history, designating him only, together with his 
companion in suffering, as a public robber. Legend, 
however, has transmitted the name of this penitent thief, 
telling us that he was called Dismas, and that he was the 
same highwayman who, years before, had shown kind- 
ness and hospitality to the Holy Family when on their 
flight into Egypt. 

It is terrible for us to reflect that by the side of Jesus 
dying upon the cross, and pouring out His blood for the 
salvation of men, there hung two human beings, one of 
whom was saved, the other lost. It is but natural that 
we should ask ourselves how this came to pass, since we 
believe that God wills all men to be saved, and gives 
unto all grace sufficient to accomplish that object? We 
can account for it by this simple reason : one of these 
men put no obstacle in the way of grace, and the other 
did. One of them, as soon as he heard the whisperings 
of God's Holy Spirit to his heart, listened to them, and 
allowed them to sink deep into his soul, and to stir up 
his better nature, and turn it to God. The other did not 
do so. When that gentle voice first made itself heard, 
and bade him look at the evident signs of a divine nature 
which shone through the torn and bleeding figure hang- 
ing so near him, he thrust back the thoughts which began 
to throng upon him. He would not believe, and, with 
that strange, irrational, and unaccountable rage which not 
unfrequently takes possession of the wicked at the sight 
of the just, he opened his mouth to curse and to revile. 
And so he died impenitent, within reach of the source of 
grace, and yet not touched by it. 
17 



258 The Seven Last Words of Jesus. 

The penitent thief, on the other hand, follows the im- 
pulse of grace. He recognizes his guilt, contritely con- 
fesses it before the whole world, and is willing to suffer 
the temporal punishment incurred. "We suffer justly, 
for we receive the due rewards of our evil deeds." Oh, 
that every sinner would understand what such an humble 
self -accusation accomplishes in the eyes of our divine 
Judge! In heartfelt sympathy and with generous charity, 
the penitent thief defends the friendless Jesus, and, tes- 
tifying to His innocence, says: "This Man hath done 
no evil." At a moment when all were hurling jeers, in- 
sults, and blasphemies at the dying Jesus, this criminal 
fearlessly acknowledges the innocence of the Redeemer. 
Whence came this courage, and the strength to make this 
open profession of faith? From supernatural love, which 
is mightier than death itself. Turning his head, he looks 
imploringly at his dying Saviour, and says: "Lord, re- 
member me when Thou shalt come into Thy kingdom." 
What a living faith! He discovers, in the dying culprit 
at his side, the Lord, the King, to whom the kingdom 
of heaven belongs, that God who possesses both power 
and grace sufficient to forgive all sin. And though he 
had wasted and lost his whole life in wrong-doing, he 
turns with confidence to his divine Master and King, and 
sues for pardon. What a confiding hope ! And thus it 
is that the man who only a few hours before climbed up 
the heights of Calvary a sinner has become a saint. 
" This day thou shalt be with Me in paradise." In what 
paradise? In the midst of those just souls in Limbo, to 
whom the soul of Christ, after His death, descended, in 



The Sere ?i Last Words of Jesus, 



259 



order to announce to them the accomplishment of salva- 
tion, and by His presence to transform this place of wait 
ing and desire into an abode of heavenly delights, 
whence they were to be transferred, at His ascension, 
into everlasting glory. 

3. " Woman, behold thy son. . . . Behold thy mother!" 
(John xix. 26, 27.) 

" Xow there stood by the cross of Jesus His Mother, 
and His Mother's sister, Mary Cleophas, and Mary Mag- 
dalen. When Jesus therefore had seen His Mother and 
the disciple standing whom He loved, He said to His 
Mother: Woman, behold thy son. After that He saith 
to the disciple: Behold thy mother.*' (John xix. 25-27.) 
In the midst of His agony, Jesus sees at the foot of His 
cross, accompanied by three faithful, deeply sympathiz- 
ing friends, Mary, His Mother. His dying eyes are 
fixed upon her, and no doubt the memory of His child- 
hood, and of her loving embraces, came back upon Him, 
flooding His soul with anguish unutterable. Ah, how 
tenderly she had loved Him all through life: how many 
cares she had borne: how many trials and privations 
suffered in silence! Compassion for her added one other 
ingredient of bitterness to the gall of His chalice. At 
length He opens His parched lips and addresses her: 
"Woman, behold thy son." By these words He inti- 
mated that He willed her henceforth to be a mother to 
His beloved disciple, and to transfer to him all the wealth 
of affection which she had hitherto lavished upon Him 
as her Son. " How great/" exclaims St. Bernard, " was 
the exchange here made! She received the disciple in- 



26o 



The Seven Last Words of Jesus. 



stead of the Master, the servant instead of the Lord, the 
son of Zebedee instead of the Son of God." In very 
truth, the sword had now entered into her soul. Then 
Jesus, slowly turning His dying eyes, and fixing one last 
parting look of love upon His disciple, said to him: 
"Behold thy mother!" He gave to him her who was 
dearest to His heart; He gave him His own Mother, to 
be to him what she had been unto Himself. And by that 
same act He made us the children of this holy Mother; 
for St. John is generally looked upon, by the holy Fath- 
ers, as representing, on Mount Calvary, all Christians; 
and they argue, that by saying to him: *' Behold thy 
mother," Jesus addressed Himself also to each of us. 

Since, then, Jesus has willed that the Blessed Virgin 
should be the mother of those whom He disdained not to 
call his brethren, it is also His will that we should love 
and honor her as such. To love and honor means to be 
obedient to her wishes. Her will is that all men should 
ever be obedient to the holy law of God. By endeavor- 
ing to observe that law, we shall render an obedience to 
our mother's wishes, which will please her beyond meas- 
ure. Therefore, let us strive to be pure in heart and 
mind; to be humble in our thoughts and in our bearing 
toward others; to have charity for all, even for those 
who show none toward us, and thus we shall be loving, 
honoring, and obeying her whom Christ gave us to be our 
mother. 

4. " My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me 
(Matt, xxvii. 46.) 

It was midday when the crowning sin of the Jews was 



The Seven Last Words of Jesus. 261 

consummated, and Jesus hung dying on the cross. His 
enemies had at length gained their wish, and were now 
rejoicing over Him in the agonies of His ignominious 
death. But, behold, as the last moments of the Saviour 
are approaching, nature mourns her Creator: " Now from 
the sixth hour there was darkness over the whole earth, 
until the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour Jesus 
cried with a loud voice, saying: Eli, Eli, lamma sabac- 
thani? That is: My God, My God, why hast Thou for- 
saken Me?" (Matt, xxvii. 45, 46.) Extreme anguish 
alone could have wrung such a complaint from Him; 
and these words give us a glimpse of the utter desolation 
of His soul. This cry of agony proves to us that the 
material wounds of His body could not be compared to 
the anguish wherewith He was tortured by the with- 
drawal of those heavenly consolations from which He 
had shut Himself off by a heroic act of His own will. 
Hence He became like one abandoned by God to spirit- 
ual darkness and despair. His soul was without conso- 
lation, as He had foretold by the mouth of His prophet, 
beseeching God to pity Him in the day of His trial : 
" Save Me, O God, for the waters are come in even unto 
My soul.' 7 (Ps. lxviii. 2.) 

The unnatural and untimely darkness at the time of 
Christ's death, which the evangelists mention, was so 
marked and general, that the heathen nations were much 
terrified, and made a record of it in their public docu- 
ments. This last fact we learn from a letter written 
a.d. 164 by Tertullian, and addressed to the dignitaries 
of the Roman empire. In this letter he speaks of this 



262 



The Seven Last Words of Jesus. 



remarkable event at the death of Christ, and reminds 
them that they had a record of it in the city of Rome, 
saying: "You yourselves have this occurrence recorded 
in your official annals." This darkness was not the 
effect of a natural eclipse, caused by the moon passing 
between the sun and the earth; for it being the time of 
the Easter full moon, such an eclipse was simply impos- 
sible. It was really a miracle wrought by divine Omnip- 
otence, who commanded the great luminary of day to 
withhold its light during the hours that Our Saviour hung 
upon the cross. It w T as awfully and strikingly significant 
of that black pall of iniquity with which the Jewish peo- 
ple had shrouded themselves and their future generations 
till the end of time. 

5. " I thirst" (John xix. 28.) 

What must the sufferings of Our Lord have been, after 
His many and grievous wounds! No drink had passed 
His lips since the preceding night. The thirst engen- 
dered by His cruel suffering and loss of blood must have 
been intense. "Afterward Jesus, knowing that all 
things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might 
be fulfilled, said: I thirst. Now there was a vessel set 
there full of vinegar. And they, putting a sponge full 
of vinegar about hyssop, put it to His mouth. " (John 
xix. 28, 29.) 

This thirst was so notable a feature in Christ's bitter 
passion that the royal prophet mentioned it : " My 
tongue hath cleaved to My jaws, and Thou hast brought 
Me down into the dust of death." (Ps. xxi. 16.) In 
order, therefore, to fulfil another prediction of this same 




The Burial of Christ, 



The Seven Last Words of Jesus. 



263 



prophet, where he says; "In My thirst they gave Me 
vinegar to drink" (Ps. lxviii. 22), Our Lord made known 
the anguish He was suffering, bv saving: "I thirst.' 1 
Hearing this, one of the soldiers ran to a vessel filled 
with vinegar, and dipping a sponge into it, fastened it 
upon a stalk of hyssop, and raised it to His mouth. Our 
Lord tasted the vinegar, but He would not drink it. His 
Mother stood by, and saw this. She knew what torture 
her dving Son endured, and she was utterlv unable to 
give Him any relief. Gladly would she have forced her 
way through the dense crowd to get some water to quench 
His thirst: but she knew that Jesus did not wish for it — ■ 
He spoke merely to let us know what He suffered. 

To atone for your gluttony, the Son of God suffers 
thirst. Woe to you, if you can hear these words of Jesus, 
" I thirst," and yet refuse to abandon, at once and for- 
ever, the odious habits of the glutton and the drunk- 
ard. 

Moreover, Our Saviour experienced another kind of 
thirst, besides the mere natural thirst of tongue and pal- 
ate. He thirsted for the salvation of immortal souls. 
This spiritual thirst of Our Lord was even more keen and 
intense, if possible, than His bodily thirst. At every 
moment He beheld in spirit the countless myriads of 
men who, although marked with the blood of redemption, 
would nevertheless be lost by their forgetfulness of the 
Redeemer Himself. For such unhappy souls He thirsted 
with the extreme ardor of love. 

6. " It is consummated" ( John xix. 30.) 

The night with its darkness was fast passing away; 



264 The Seven Last Words of Jesus. 

the dawn was at hand, when the Sun of justice, bursting 
through the clouds which had obscured His splendor, 
would triumph forever over death, sin, and hell. " Jesus, 
therefore, when He had taken the vinegar, said: It is 
consummated." (John xix. 30.) These words, coming 
from the lips of our dying Redeemer, are full of deep 
meaning. From them we learn that before breathing His 
last He cast one rapid glance back upon the life He had 
spent upon earth. Looking into every circumstance of 
His earthly career, He could say: "All that My Father 
had ordained for Mel have accomplished: 'It is con- 
summated.' " He came to expiate the disobedience of 
Adam : He had done so, for He was obedient unto death, 
even to the death of the cross. He came to open the 
gates of heaven, and to teach us the road thither, both by 
word and example. He accomplished it. Finally. He 
saw that all figures whereby He had been typified had in 
His person received their fulfilment. Therefore He an- 
nounced all these things to the world, by saying: "It is 
consummated." 

For each one of us, also, a moment will come when, 
standing upon the confines of eternity, we shall cast a 
glance backward over the course we have run. Our 
works, our plans, the thoughts of our mind, the desires of 
our heart, the evil and the good — all will start up and 
appear before us. We shall look upon them all and say: 
"It is consummated." What will it profit us, then, to 
have lived in sinful pleasures? They have vanished like 
smoke, and have left behind only the burden of guilt 
and the sting: of remorse. Live so that vou may be able 



The Seven Last Words of Jesus, 



265 



to look back then on a life well spent, on a race bravely 
run, on work faithfully accomplished. 

7. "Father, into Thy hands I commend My spirit" 
(Luke xxiii. 46.) 

Jesus, having faithfully accomplished the work ap- 
pointed for Him by His heavenly Father, now gathered 
up all His remaining strength to utter a last farewell. 
"And Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said: Father, into 
Thy hands I commend My spirit. And saying this, He 
gave up the ghost. " (Luke xxiii. 46.) Solemn and ter- 
rible moment! Since the dawn of creation the world has 
never witnessed such a moment of horror; it will never 
see such again. On the heights of Calvary a sullen 
silence has now settled down. Not a sound is heard, 
save the suppressed groans of the beloved disciple, the 
stifled sobs of the sorrowing Mother of the dead Jesus. 
But in the heights of heaven the scene is different. The 
choirs of angels burst forth into a chant of praise and 
thanksgiving, saying: ''The Lamb that was slain is 
worthy to receive power, and divinity, and wisdom, 
and strength, and honor, and glory, and benediction." 
(Apoc. v. 12.) 

The last lesson which Jesus preached from the cross 
was an instruction to us, to recommend, in death, our de- 
parting soul into the hands of our Creator, and to accept 
death with an entire conformity and resignation to the 
divine will. 

Eternal Father, look upon Thy beloved Son, hanging 
on the cross, dead. For His sake forgive us our sins. 
Receive His sufferings in satisfaction for our past trans- 



266 The Seven Last Words of Jesus. 

gressions, and presence us from offending Thee here- 
after. 

Precious body of my Saviour! inseparably united with 
the Divinity, Thou art as sacred and as worthy of wor- 
ship on the cross or in the tomb as Thou wast in the 
manger or on Thabor during life. Receive the sacrifice 
of my homage and gratitude. Accept my ardent, fervent 
prayer. How calm and sweet the expression of Thy pal- 
lid features! How full of encouragement and hope for 
sinners! How mercifully Thy arms are still stretched 
out to embrace all Thy creatures! Even Thy wounds, a 
moment since to Thee so dreadful, to me are now so 
many sources of happiness, for they can pain Thee no 
longer, while to me they have become a sheltering, sav- 
ing refuge in my distress of body and mind. Accept, 
then, in these remarkable, mysterious moments, even 
though Thy soul is absent, the fervent, heartfelt prayer of 
a poor offender. Let my death be like unto Thine, O 
Jesus! Thou hast yielded up Thy departing soul into 
the hands of Thy heavenly Father: grant that my last 
prayer maybe like Thine: "Father, into Thy hands I 
commend my spirit." Thou wast pleased, too, to have 
Thy blessed Mother near Thee in the hour of death ; 
grant that she may be near me in my last hour. Let me 
die when and where Thou please, but let me not die un- 
prepared; let me not die without the presence of Thy 
Mother and mine, Mary. 

YVe adore Thee, O Christ, and praise Thee: for by 
Thy holy cross and passion Thou hast redeemed the 
world. 



CHAPTER XXIX. 



MIRACULOUS EVENTS AT OUR LORD'S DEATH. — OX DEVO- 
TION TO OUR LORD'S PASSION. 

A N event so extraordinary as the death of a God-Man 



l \ was necessarily accompanied by portentous signs, 
whereby God intended to glorify His Son, to manifest 
His anger against those who had crucified Him, and to 
express, in a material way, the spiritual effects which 
were to follow His death. These events are described 
by the evangelists as follows: 

" And behold the veil of the Temple was rent in two 
from the top to the bottom ; and the earth quaked, and 
the rocks were rent. And the graves were opened : and 
many bodies of the saints, that had slept, arose, and 
coming out of the tombs after His resurrection, came into 
the holy city, and appeared to many. Now the centurion 
and they that were with him watching Jesus, having seen 
the earthquake and the things that were done, were 
sore afraid, saying: Indeed, this was the Son of God. ,? 
(Matt, xxvii. 51-54.) 

In the Temple, between the sanctuary and the space 
reserved for the people, there hung a veil, to conceal the 
Holy of Holies; and only once a year, on the day of the 
great atonement, the high-priest, and he only, was per- 




267 



268 Miraculous Events at Oicr Lord's Death. 



mitted to enter behind this veil, when he went to immo- 
late the sacrifice of expiation. According to Jewish ac- 
counts, this curtain was forty yards long and twenty wide, 
heavily embroidered with golden and purple threads, and 
so artistically wrought that it required a whole year's 
work at the hands of several thousand young girls to fin- 
ish it. And now, at the very instant when the veritable 
High-Priest on Golgotha is entering, with His own sacri- 
ficial blood, into the Sanctuary, this veil of the Temple 
is rent in twain from top to bottom. This was a sign 
that admission to the Most High — that is to say, recon- 
ciliation in and through Christ — was now granted to all 
men ; that the ancient figurative sacrificial worship of 
the Old Law had been abolished, and that the Jewish 
Temple had lost its use and meaning for evermore. 

The next miraculous event was the terrible earthquake 
during the agony of Jesus. Reliable annalists assure us 
that mountains and valleys were agitated fearfully, not 
only in Palestine, but throughout Asia Minor, and as 
far to the west as Spain. On Calvary the very rocks 
were rent. Thus did inanimate, irrational nature mani- 
fest its horror at the death of its Creator. A thrill of 
terror and protest ran through its inmost recesses of exis- 
tence when it witnessed the crime perpetrated against 
their God and Lord by rational human beings. 

A miraculous event, too, was the resurrection from 
their graves of many dead persons, who glided about the 
dark streets, appeared in the holy place, and filled with 
terror the awe-stricken people. A pious and learned 
author, Vincent Bellovacensis, writes that amongst those 



Miraculous Events at Our Lord's Death. 269 



who appeared were two sons of the pious high-priest Si- 
meon the Just, an ancestor of Simeon who prophesied at 
the presentation of Jesus in the Temple. They de- 
nounced the murder of the prophets, declared that the 
sacrifice was now at an end, and exhorted all to believe 
in Jesus Christ. At the altar Jeremias appeared, issuing 
threats and declaring that the sacrifice of the Old Law 
now gave way to that of the new dispensation. A voice 
in the Temple was heard, saying, "Let us go hence!" 
and the angels left the Temple. The altar of incense 
trembled, and a censer fell; the case containing the 
Scriptures was overturned, and the sacred books were 
tumbled out. The time of day was forgotten in the con- 
fusion. Here and there lay dead bodies; other dead 
walked about among the people and spoke threats. 

Lastly, a miraculous occurrence was the spiritual resur- 
rection, or conversion, of many of those persons who were 
present at the death of Christ. They witnessed the pre- 
ternatural disturbances in the heavens and on the earth 
at the death of Jesus, and were touched to the heart. 
Their eyes were opened to the truth, and contritely they 
struck their breasts, saying: "Indeed, this was the Son 
of God!" 

How inscrutable are the decrees of God, how myste- 
rious and hidden the ways of divine justice and mercy! 
The Jewish priesthood, in blindness and perversity, 
rushed forward to dark destruction, while the pagan cen- 
turion discovered the light, followed it, and believed. 

Strike your breast, like the centurion and the affrighted 
soldiers, and, grieving over the share you had in the 



2JO 



Devotion to the Passion. 



sufferings and death of Jesus, resolve, once for all, to 
break with sin, and never again to incur that frightful 
guilt, to remove which Our Lord suffered so cruel a 
death. 

The devotion to the sacred passion of Our Lord pos- 
sesses a wonderful power to enkindle our love, strengthen 
our patience, and inflame our zeal for the attainment of 
virtue. Hence St. Bonaventure remarks : " If you desire 
to make progress in virtue, and to lead a perfect life, 
meditate every day on the sufferings of Christ; for there 
is nothing that so excites the soul to holy fervor as this. " 
And St. Augustine says : " There is nothing so bitter that 
it may not be made sweet by the death of Christ. All 
my hope is built on the death of my Lord." 

After the resurrection and ascension of Our Lord, the 
Christians who resided in Jerusalem had a great venera- 
tion for the places sanctified by the sufferings of Our 
Saviour. From that time, also, as we learn from St. Je- 
rome, it was a frequent and most touching practice of 
Christians in other countries to make a pilgrimage to the 
Holy Land of Palestine, and there visit the spots made 
sacred by the presence of Christ, and especially those 
known as the stations of His passion and death, and 
honor these holy places by prayer and penance. After- 
ward, when the Holy Land had fallen into the hands of 
the infidels, the pious exercise of the Way of the Cross 
was substituted, in the middle of the fourteenth century, 
by the Franciscans. This excellent devotion has met 
with repeated approvals of the Church, being, moreover, 
enriched with numerous indulgences. All, however, who 



Devotion to the Passion. 



271 



wish to gain these indulgences must bear in mind that 
the stations must be erected by those who have the fac- 
ulty to do so; that it is required of them to meditate, 
according to their ability, on the sufferings of Jesus, and 
to go from one station to another, so far as the number of 
persons engaged in the devotion, and the space where the 
stations are erected, will admit. No special form of 
prayer is prescribed for this holy exercise, the text of the 
prayers being left to the devotion of each person ; but it 
ought to refer to the scene represented by the station. 

My beloved Saviour, who hast redeemed the w r orld by 
Thy sufferings and Thy death upon the cross, grant me 
that, daily venerating Thy holy wounds, I may, by Thy 
precious blood, be delivered from a sudden and eternal 
death. 

Almighty and eternal God, merciful Father! who hast 
given to the human race Thy beloved Son as an example 
of humility, obedience, and patience, to precede us on 
the way of life, bearing the cross: graciously grant that 
we, inflamed by His infinite love, take up the sweet yoke 
of His Gospel, together with the mortification of the 
cross, following Him as His true disciples, so that we 
shall one day gloriously rise with Him, and joyfully hear 
the final sentence : " Come, ye blessed of My Father, 
possess you the kingdom prepared for you from the 
foundation of the world," where Thou reignest with the 
Father and the Holy Ghost, and where we hope to reign 
with Thee throughout all eternity. Amen. 



CHAPTER XXX. 

THE SIDE OF JESUS PIERCED WITH A LANCE. 

THE Jews feared much lest Pilate should leave the 
bodies of the three crucified men on their crosses 
all the next day, which was the Sabbath, and the most 
solemn day of the great paschal festival. To prevent so 
great a profanation, they sent a deputation to the gover- 
nor, beseeching him to remove them as speedily as pos- 
sible. An order to this effect was immediately granted, 
and the soldiers proceeded at once to execute upon the 
crucified the extreme penalty of the law. "The soldiers 
therefore came, and they broke the legs of the first and 
of the other that was crucified with Him. But after 
they were come to Jesus, when they saw that He was 
already dead, they did not break His legs. But one of 
the soldiers with a spear opened His side, and immedi- 
ately there came out blood and water." (John xix. 32- 
34.) Jesus, now beyond the reach of pain, made no 
movement as this last outrage was inflicted upon Him; 
the body hung there still and lifeless. But there stood 
beside the blood-stained cross one whose heart felt the 

pang which was intended for Him. The virginal heart 

272 



The Side of Jesus Pierced with a Lance. 273 



of His most holy Mother was then in very deed trans- 
fixed with that sword of sorrow of which Simeon had 
prophesied many years before. The bright steel which 
pierced His flesh entered into her soul. Like her divine 
Son, Mary could say with truth : " It is consummated. I 
have stood here and seen all the prophecies which re- 
lated to my Son accomplished to the full, and now they 
have in wanton cruelty opened wide His sacred heart: 
but in so doing they have fulfilled another prophecy, 
which said: 'And they shall look upon Me, whom they 
have pierced.'" (Zach. xii. 10.) 

Let us now examine into some of the reasons why God 
allowed this last outrage to be perpetrated upon His 
Son. One of these was, doubtless, to anticipate and re- 
fute an objection which would be urged against the di- 
vinity of Our Lord. Some unbelievers have maintained 
that Our Lord did not really die upon the cross, but only 
swooned away through loss of blood, and was afterward 
restored by careful treatment. They tried in this clumsy 
way to account for the resurrection, which Christ always 
appealed to as the proof of LI is divine nature and mis- 
sion. Their blasphemous assertion is, however, rendered 
not onlv untenable, but absolutely absurd, bv the Roman 
soldier whose lance pierced the side of Christ, penetrated 
into His heart, and drew forth that blood and water 
which make the fact of death indubitable. But although 
this reason may serve to strengthen our faith, we will 
pass it over, to dwell more particularly on another, which 
will appeal more directly to our hearts, and be more pro- 
ductive of spiritual advantage to our souls. 
iS 



274 The Side of Jesus Pierced with a Lance. 



Jesus wished to be stricken and punished, not only ex- 
ternally, but even in the very source of life, in order 
that He might atone by the rending of His heart for all 
the evil which proceeds from the heart of man. It is 
the heart, the carnal nature of man, which is the source 
of the greater part of our sins and errors. By it Holv 
Scripture understands all those sensible faculties of the 
soul which men gratify by the criminal indulgence of 
their flesh. From it, as from a well-spring, there issues 
forth that stream of iniquity, whose fatal waters Christ 
spoke of when He said to His apostles: " From the heart 
come forth evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornica- 
tions, thefts, false testimonies, blasphemies" (Matt. xv. 
19) — in a word, those things which defile a soul. By 
suffering His heart to be opened He caused to flow 
thence a healthful stream, of which we may drink in or- 
der to purify that source of evil which we carry about 
within our own breasts. Go frequently to that fountain 
of life in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar. Drink 
deeply of its saving waters, and they will fertilize your 
barren heart, and make it bring forth virtues which God 
will crown with glory in heaven. 

Another reason why Jesus allowed this wound to be 
inflicted upon His side, and upon His sacred heart, was 
to give us a last proof of the boundless generosity of His 
love. When the soldier's spear had pierced His lifeless 
body, the eternal Father could call upon us to look at that 
cross whereon Jesus was hanging, and tell Him if there 
was anything more He could do to prove to us how much 
He loved us. There was His only-begotten Son, con- 



The Side of Jesus Pie reed with a Lance. 275 

substantial with Himself, eternal, almighty. He had given 
His blood, and lest we should say that He had made a 
reserve of it, He was pleased that its very source should 
be drained. All that He asks in return is, that we 
should love Him with our poor, weak, human hearts, and 
give Him, as a proof of that love, our obedience to His 
divine Son. He does not ask much, and He gives us 
strength to do even the little He does ask. He nerves us 
to encounter self-denial, by the sight of His crucified 
body; and when we are hard pressed by our enemies, we 
shall ever find a sure refuge and place of rest in the 
wound of His sacred side. When sorrow wrings our 
hearts, we can look upon Him, and we shall see that our 
sorrow is not equal to His. When the world turns 
against us, and men despise us, or treat us harshly and 
unjustly, we may look up with confidence to Him on the 
cross. We can see the gaping wound in His side — there 
is our sanctuary; there our harbor of rest: for over it is 
written that loving invitation to all the down-trodden, 
weary wayfarers on earth: " Come unto Me, all you that 
labor and are heavily burdened, and I will refresh you/'' 
(Matt. xi. 8.) 

In bringing before us the Sacred Heart of Jesus as an 
object of devotion, the Church really calls our attention 
to His immense love, of which this Heart is the seat, and 
wishes us to think upon what it did for us, in order to re- 
kindle in our hearts that love for Jesus which, in so many, 
has become cold. Can we pretend to value the passion of 
our most loving Redeemer, and not love His Sacred 
Heart, that Heart which is so inflamed with love for men? 



276 The Side of Jesus Pierced with a Lance. 

And what are the lessons we are to learn from it ? 
Love is the first lesson. It is the direct and immediate 
return that is demanded of us. The Sacred Heart tells 
us of the love of Jesus, and on this account it appeals for 
the offering of the love of our own hearts. Love always 
demands a return, and if it gain not that return, it is un- 
satisfied, and a source of pain to us rather than joy and 
comfort. The heart is wounded, and it feels the pain of 
the wound. So the Sacred Heart of Our Lord is always 
represented as wounded, not only because the spear 
pierced it, but because the coldness of man pierced it yet 
more. St. John, who learned the love of our dear Saviour 
at its very source, argues with us, and says: " Let us, 
therefore, love God, because God first loved us." (John 
iv. 19.) The Sacred Heart may certainly use this 
argument, and surely we cannot allow the appeal to go 
unanswered. 

Generosity and a spirit of sacrifice are to be added to 
our love : for so the Sacred Heart teaches us. The love 
of that Heart was certainly not an inactive one; it was 
not a limited and sentimental love. This Sacred Heart 
always was, and always continues to be, a holocaust, a 
whole burnt-offering to the eternal Father, which He ac- 
cepts from His well-beloved Son. Well may our gener- 
ous Lord ask us what more He could do for us than He 
has done through the immensity of His love. Can we 
dare to ask the same question of Him? We have done 
so little; we are so ungenerous and timid in His service. 
We shrink from every sacrifice, and fear to make an effort 
which costs us the least pain or self-denial. Devotion to 



The Side of Jesus Pierced with a Lance. 277 

the Sacred Heart is a great cure for tepidity. This is a 
chief cause why the Church wishes to propagate it, be- 
cause she had already learned from happy experience 
that they who practise it are roused from indolence and 
excited to fervor. 

Humility and meekness are also taught by this devotion. 
These were the special lessons our blessed Lord taught 
us through His Sacred Heart when He said: " Learn of 
Me, because I am meek and humble of heart." (Matt, 
xi. 29.) Do our hearts bear any resemblance whatever 
to His who forgave His enemies, who suffered and died 
for them, and who gave us an example that we should do 
for others what His Heart moved Him to do for us? 
Pride and a want of forbearance with others are the 
source of that want of brotherly love which prevails so 
much in the world, and which even in those who pretend 
to be devout, practical Christians is not unfrequently 
found to exist. 

Zeal for souls is another lesson of the Sacred Heart. 
Why did that Heart suffer so much? Not for itself, but 
for the souls of men. And if we have no sympathy 
whatever for the spiritual good of others, no desire for 
the conversion of sinners; if we are unwilling to do any- 
thing to bring others to share in the spiritual blessings 
of which, through the immense mercy of God, we are 
partakers — where are our faith and our love? If we hate 
sin, because of the injury it offers to God, how can we 
quietly witness its influence over souls, and do nothing 
to diminish that influence, and to shield the glory of 
God? 



278 The Side of Jesus Pierced ivitJi a Lance. 

One more lesson we learn from this fertile source of 
instruction — -fervor in prayer. How fervent and perse- 
vering was the Sacred Heart's prayer in the garden and 
on the cross — and how cold, how short, and how easily 
interrupted are our prayers! And why so? Because our 
hearts are so little in our work, and our treasure is else- 
where. The ejaculation especially addressed to the 
Sacred Heart, tells us what is the immediate blessing we 
should ask from it: 

O Sacred Heart of Jesus, I implore 

That I may ever love Thee more , and more ! 

The Church invites us on the Feast of the Sacred 
Heart: " All ye who seek a secure refuge from your trials 
and afflictions, all ve who are harassed with remorse of 
conscience, and crushed to the earth with apprehensions 
of well-merited punishment, come to the gentle Heart of 
Jesus. Listen attentively to His gentle invitation: 4 All 
ve who labor and are heavily burdened, come to Me, and 
I will refresh you.' " 



CHAPTER XXXI. 



JESUS IS TAKEN DOWN FROM THE CROSS. HIS BURIAL. 

^ INCE Jesus had now fully accomplished the end for 



which He came into the world, the hands of His 
enemies could never be laid on Him again. " Joseph of 
Arimathea, a noble counsellor, who was also himself 
looking for the kingdom of God, came and went in 
boldly to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. But Pi- 
late wondered that He should be already dead. And 
sending for the centurion, he asked him if He were 
already dead. And when he understood it by the centu- 
rion, he gave the body to Joseph." (Mark xv. 43-45.) 
"And Nicodemus also came, he who at the first came to 
Jesus by night, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, 
about an hundred pound weight. They took therefore 
the body of Jesus, and bound it in linen cloths with the 
spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury." (John 
xix. 39, 40.) 

The solemn ceremony of taking down from the cross 
the sacred body of Jesus was carried out with a rever- 
ence indescribably touching, and amid a sad and sorrow- 
ful silence. Those engaged in the sacred duty moved 
slowly and gently and carefully, as though they dreaded 




279 



28o 



Jesus is Taken Down from the Cross. 



to renew again the sufferings of the inanimate body, for 
their hearts were overpowered with love and reverence 
toward the precious remains of Our Lord. They drew 
forth the nails from the hands and feet, disengaged the 
thorny crown from the tangled hair, and tenderly laid the 
sacred body in the arms of His Mother. 

Let us now draw nigh to that broken-hearted Mother, 
as she sits at the foot of the cross, on her knees the in- 
animate, lacerated body of Jesus. There He lies, life- 
less, motionless, His eyes closed, His limbs rigid, His 
flesh gashed, torn, and rent with cruel wounds. There is 
now no beauty or comeliness in Him. From the crown 
of His head to the sole of His feet there is no soundness. 
He is like a leper, and one stricken by God, and afflicted. 
Truly He hath borne our infirmities and carried our 
sorrows, and because it hath pleased Him to take our 
guilt upon Himself, the Almighty exacted from Him the 
great debt of justice which we were unable to pay. 

What are the thoughts suggested to you by the contem- 
plation of Jesus lying thus in the arms of His most holy 
Mother? Are they not bitter recollections of the share 
you had in making Him what He is? Have not your 
thoughts, at times, stricken down the thorny crown into 
the sacred head and temples of Our Lord? Have not 
your deeds filled His eyes with tears of blood? Your 
sinful acts have been unto His flesh as the thongs of the 
biting scourge, as the nails which pierced His hands and 
feet, or the keen point of the lance which drank the last 
drop of His heart's blood. 

Looking upon the work of our hands, can we gaze un- 



The Burial of Jesus. 



281 



moved on the lifeless form which appeals to us with such 
mute eloquence ? Oh, let not our hearts be harder than 
the very rocks which were rent asunder at His death! 
Let us look upon the lifeless form of Our Saviour, and 
resolve to atone for the past, to blot it out by true contri- 
tion and repentance. 

But thou, O sorrowful Mother Mary! what were thy 
sentiments and feelings in that solemn hour? How lov- 
ingly didst thou press thy Son's disfigured form to thy 
breast! O valiant Mother of sorrows! allow one spark 
of that flaming love, which was enkindled in thy heart at 
the touch of the Saviour's precious remains, to pass into 
my cold heart, that it may be aroused from its lethargic 
indifference, and converted to a holy life. O Mary, 
Mother of sorrows, permit me to weep with thee, to love 
with thee, to adore with thee! 

" Now 7 there was in the place where He was crucified 
a garden ; and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein 
no man had yet been laid. There, therefore, because of 
the Parasceve of the Jew r s, they laid Jesus, because the 
sepulchre was nigh at hand." (John xix. 42.) "And 
the women that were come with Him from Galilee, fol- 
lowing after, saw 7 the sepulchre, and how His body was 
laid.' 1 (Luke xxiii. 55.) "And he rolled a great stone 
to the door of the monument, and went his way." 
(Matt, xxvii. 60.) 

Before consigning the body of Our Lord to the tomb, 
Joseph and Nicodemus, assisted by the holy women, per- 
formed for it all those offices of piety which their faith 
and love prompted. Having first cleansed it from the 



282 



The Burial of Jesus. 



foul stains which the rage and brutality of the Jews and 
soldiers had left upon it, they next, with the most pro- 
found respect, anointed the gaping wounds. Sweet- 
smelling spices were poured into them, and the entire 
body was covered with myrrh. The lifeless form was 
then wrapped in fine linen, and nothing remained to be 
done except to bear the precious burden to the grave, 
which Joseph had caused to be hewn out of the rock as a 
resting-place for himself. No one had as yet been bur- 
ied there, so that it was spotlessly pure. 

Before the grave closes over the body of her Son, Mary 
kneels once more by the shrouded form. Her face is 
bent over the features of her Son, once so beautiful, 
now so cruelly disfigured by the savagery of the Jews. 
Again she presses to her bosom the sacred head; the 
tears break forth from her eyes; she imprints one fare- 
well kiss upon the brow, and feels in that supreme mo- 
ment all the agony of a broken heart. By her side 
kneels the beloved disciple of her Son, St. John, whom 
Jesus had given to her as a son instead of Himself. His 
tears fall fast as he tries in vain to comfort her. Magda- 
len, deeming herself unworthy of aught else, stations her- 
self at the feet of her Lord, and performs for them in death 
that ofrice of love which she had not feared to perform in 
life, when He sat in the midst of jealous and ever-watch- 
ful foes. With unspeakable tenderness and gentleness, 
Joseph, Nicodemus, and John now place the body of Jesus 
in the tomb. They lay it upon the ledge of rock pre- 
pared for its resting-place, and having closed the entrance 
of the sepulchre with a great slab of rock, all withdrew. 



The Burial of Jesus 



Now that we have left the sacred body of Our Lord in 
the tomb, let us cast a parting glance at the lessons of 
His life and death. Christ was God. and became man 
for love of us; He lived upon this earth of ours, and felt 
all our miseries, becoming like to us in all. sin alone ex- 
cepted. He toiled like a common laborer, and thereby 
invested labor with a dignity which has made it forever 
honorable. He came forth from His obscurity, and 
taught a heavenly doctrine, one pointing from earth to 
heaven. He bade us look upon this world as a place of 
exile, this life as a pilgrimage. To solace our misery 
and to strengthen our weakness, He gave us Himself to 
be our food during the clays of our banishment. To blot 
out the handwriting which was against us. the eternal 
Father had decreed that He should die. He submitted 
to His Father's will. The time for the fulfilment of that 
divine decree arrived, and Christ entered upon His bitter 
passion. Over His whole being there crept a dread of 
death, so intense that it tilled His soul with mortal 
agonv, and caused Him to sweat blood. He was baselv 
betrayed by one of His apostles, judged by a pagan, con- 
demned to death, and handed over to the ungovernable 
fury of an angry mob. His people rejected Him. and 
chose in His stead a robber, a murderer. They scourged 
Him like a malefactor, nailed Him cruelly to the dis- 
graceful cross, and there, between two thieves, amid the 
cruel jeers of the priests and people. He died a lingering 
death of the most acute p am. 

Reflecting on all this, each one of us can sav : " Christ 
died for me^ and delivered Himself up for me" Surely, 



284 



The Burial of Jesus. 



" greater love than this no man hath, that a man lay- 
down his life for his friends.'" (John xv. 13.) There- 
fore let us not be behindhand in generosity to love Him. 
Let us give Him all we have — our hearts, our souls, our 
faculties, our powers. Let us be determined to serve 
Him alone. But as we cannot do this without His assis- 
tance, let us ask Him for it, and He will give it to us. 
Let us ask Him to bestow His grace so abundantly on us 
that neither in life nor in death anything may ever be 
able to separate us from Him. 

Alas, O my God, the servant's debt is paid by the 
Master, the penalty incurred by man is paid by God! 
To what excess, O Lord, has Thy love \z\ Thee? It 
was I who acted perversely, and Thou hast suffered the 
punishment. I have sinned, and Thou dost suffer; I was 
proud, and Thou wast humbled: I was puffed up, and 
Thou wast calumniated: I was disobedient, and Thy 
obedience cancelled my disobedience: I was intemperate, 
and Thou didst suffer the pangs of hunger and thirst. I 
am the traitor who betrayed Thee ; I struck Thy sacred 
countenance: I am Thy false accuser: I am Peter deny- 
ing, Herod mocking Thee; I have scourged Thee and 
crowned Thee with thorns; I am Pilate, condemning 
Thee to death; I laid the heavy cross upon Thy shoul- 
ders; I despoiled Thee of Thy garments, nailed Thee to 
the cross, gave Thee gall and vinegar to drink, caused 
Thy sacred blood to flow in the garden and on the cross. 
My envy betrayed, my avarice sold Thee. I have denied 
Thee, by transgressing Thy commandments, for fear of 
displeasing men. My anger has struck Thee, my hy- 



The Burial of Jesus. 



285 



pocrisy mocked Thee, my immodesty scourged Thee, my 
pride crowned Thee with thorns. My sins condemned 
Thee to death; my sloth laid the heavy burden of the 
cross upon Thy shoulders: my lust despoiled Thee of 
Thy garments; my revengefulness nailed Thee to the 
cross; my intemperance made Thee drink gall and vin- 
egar; my vanity caused Thy garments to be divided 
among the soldiers. It is I, O God. I who took Thy life. 
O Sovereign Good, I have sinned. I am sorry from all 
my heart for having offended Thee, Who art of Thyself 
the Supreme Being, worthy of all love. 

" Sweet Jesus, by Thy death on the cross, by the mys^ 
tery of Thy repose in the tomb, I implore Thee to grant 
me a happy death, and a peaceful, blissful eternity." 
(St. Bonaventure.) 



CHAPTER XXXII. 

THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS. 

THE chief priests and Pharisees were not content, 
though they saw Jesus in the tomb. They remem- 
bered what He had said about rising again on the third 
day; and although they did not believe the prediction 
themselves, yet they were afraid it might make some im- 
pression upon others. They pretended to suspect some 
design in the disciples of stealing away their Master's 
body, and of spreading a report of His being risen from 
the dead. " And the next day. which followed the day 
of preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees came 
together to Pilate, saying: Sir. we have remembered that 
that seducer said, while He was yet alive: After three 
days I shall rise again. Command therefore the sepul- 
chre to be guarded until the third day: lest perhaps His 
disciples come, and steal Him away, and say to the peo- 
ple : He is risen from the dead: and the last error shall 
be worse than the first. Pilate said to them : You have 
a guard: go, guard it as you know. And they departing, 
made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting 
guards." (Matt, xxviii. 62-65.) 

The soul of the crucified Saviour, having, from the 

266 




Christ and the Disciples at Emmaus. 



The Resurrection of Jesus, 



287 



time it left His body, remained in Limbo among the 
souls of the just, returned soon after midnight to its sa- 
cred body resting in the tomb. The interpreters of 
Scripture tell us that Christ brought with Him the souls 
of these holy persons to witness His resurrection. The 
angels, too, who were in the train of the redeemed spirits, 
took up their anthems of joy, and sang with sympathizing 
gladness: " Alleluia! Let us rejoice and be glad, for 
this is the day the Lord hath made. Alleluia !" 

"And in the end of the Sabbath, when it began to 
dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Mag- 
dalen, and the other Mary, to see the sepulchre. And 
behold, there was a great earthquake. For an angel of 
the Lord descended from heaven, and coming, rolled 
back the stone, and sat upon it. And his countenance 
was as lightning, and his raiment as snow. And for fear 
of him, the guards were struck with terror, and became 
as dead men. And the angel answering, said to the 
women : Fear not you : for I know that you seek Jesus 
crucified. He is not here: for He is risen, as He said." 
(Matt, xxviii. 1-6.) 

Although the evangelists do not tell us that Our Lord, 
after His resurrection, appeared first to His beloved 
Mother, yet reason would teach us, and the devout and 
learned doctors of the Church inform us, and revelations 
from heaven to favored souls on earth assure us, that 
Christ's first visit, after His triumph over sin and death, 
was to the Blessed Virgin Mary. An old tradition has 
it that the sorrowing Mother of Jesus, having passed the 
whole Easter night in meditation and prayer, was in a 



288 



The Resurrection of Jesus. 



state of tranquil expectation of the resurrection of her 
divine Son, when suddenly the archangel Gabriel, at- 
tended by legions of heavenly spirits, stood before her 
and repeated the familiar salutation: "Hail, full of 
grace!" He then added: "Queen of heaven, rejoice: 
for He whom thou didst deserve to bear is risen from 
the dead. Alleluia!" Hardly were these glad tidings 
delivered, when the Virgin's humble apartment was illu- 
minated by a flood of brilliant light, and her own beloved 
Son Himself appeared before her, and in gladsome ac- 
cents addressed her: " Rejoice and be comforted, Mother 
of sorrows; I return to thee in triumph and honor." 
The pure soul of our blessed Mother was so overpowered 
with joy that she sank into an ecstasy. Then, in silent 
reverence and ardent love, she kneels before the Lord, 
and kisses His sacred feet. Jesus, bending down, raises 
her venerable form, presses it to His glorified bosom, and 
speaks words of cheer and filial affection. 

" And when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalen, and 
Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought sweet 
spices, that coming they might anoint Jesus. And very 
early in the morning, the first day of the week, they came 
to the sepulchre, the sun being now risen. And they 
said one to another : Who shall roll us back the stone 
from the door of the sepulchre ? And looking, they saw 
the stone rolled back. For it was very great. And en- 
tering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting 
on the right side, clothed with a white robe : and they 
were astonished. Who saith to them: Be not affrighted: 
you seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is 



The Resurrection of Jesus, 



289 



risen, He is not here. Behold the place where they laid 
Him. But go, tell His disciples, and Peter, that He 
goeth before you into Galilee: there you shall see Him, 
as He told you." (Mark xvi. 1-7.) 

If it appears strange to you that Christ made known 
His resurrection to women, even before revealing it to 
His apostles, remember that these devoted women had 
merited this preference by their fervent and heroic love. 
While the apostles, in gloomy fear and sad despondency, 
were in concealment, these women hastened to the grave 
of Jesus, resolved, if no longer able to salute their living 
Redeemer, at least to show their respect to His lifeless 
remains. St. Gregory the Great alleges a second and 
very cogent reason why Our Saviour revealed the mystery 
of His resurrection first to women, and commissioned 
them to announce it to His apostles. He says: "In the 
beginning of the old dispensation, in paradise, it was 
woman who, by giving the forbidden fruit to man, 
brought the message of death into the world. So, in the 
opening of the new dispensation, it was right and proper 
for woman to be the bearer to man of regained life, for 
the same sex who had thrown him into despair by the 
deceiving words of the serpent now to raise him up with 
the true and inspiring words of the angel." 

" Peter therefore went out, and that other disciple, and 
they came to the sepulchre. And they both ran together, 
and that other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first 
to the sepulchre. And when he stooped down, he saw 
the linen cloths lying, but yet he went not in. Then 
cometh Simon Peter, following him, and went into the 
19 



290 



The Resurrection of Jesus. 



sepulchre and saw the linen cloths lying. And the nap- 
kin, that had been about His head, not lying with the 
linen cloths, but apart, wrapt up into one place. Then 
that other disciple also went in, who came first to the 
sepulchre: and he saw and believed. For as yet they 
knew not the Scripture, that He must rise again from the 
dead. The disciples therefore departed again to their 
home. But Mary stood at the sepulchre without, weep- 
ing. Now as she was weeping, she stooped down and 
looked into the sepulchre. And she saw two angels in 
white, sitting, one at the head, and one at the feet, where 
the body of Jesus had been laid. They say to her: 
Woman, why weepest thou? She says to them : Because 
they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where 
they have laid Him. When she had thus said, she 
turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing: and she 
knew not that it was Jesus. Jesus saith to her: Woman, 
why weepest thou ? Whom seekest thou ? She, thinking 
that it was the gardener, saith to Him : Sir, if thou hast 
taken Him hence, tell me where thou hast laid Him: 
and I will take Him away. Jesus saith to her: Mary. 
She turning, saith to Him : Rabboni (which is to say, 
Master). Jesus saith to her: Do not touch Me, for I am 
not yet ascended to My Father : but go to My brethren, 
and say to them : I ascend to My Father and to your 
Father, to My God and to your God. Mary Magdalen 
cometh and telleth the disciples: I have seen the Lord, 
and these things He hath said to me." (John xx. 3-18.) 

We can derive much comfort from the fact that our 
risen Lord, next to His beloved Mother, chose a penitent 



The Resurrection of Jesus. 



291 



soul as the first living witness of His resurrection. Pen- 
ance and contrition are precious in the sight of Him 
who came into the world for the sake of sinners. 

Our Lord, having gladdened the heart of Mary Mag- 
dalen by His apparition, vanished from her sight. She 
hastened to follow the other women, who were already on 
their way back to Jerusalem, to tell them the happy tid- 
ings. "And behold Jesus met them, saying: All hail! 
But they came up and took hold of His feet, and adored 
Him. Then Jesus said to them: Fear not. Go, tell 
My brethren that they go into Galilee, there they shall 
see Me.' ? (Matt, xxviii. 9, 10.) "And it was Mary 
Magdalen, and Joanna, and Mary of James, and the 
other women that were with them, who told these things 
to the apostles. And these words seemed to them as idle 
tales: and they did not believe them." (Luke xxiv. 10, 

no 

It seems incomprehensible that the apostles should be 
so difficult to convince, so slow to believe the resurrec- 
tion of Jesus. But after considering the four reasons 
assigned by the holy Fathers in explanation of this cir- 
cumstance, we shall be inclined to judge the apostles less 
severely. In the first place, they were mostly very sim- 
ple and illiterate persons, men of very limited compre- 
hension, of little experience, and hardly able to rise from 
the perceptions of the senses to supernatural revelations. 
In the second place, the apparent helplessness with 
which Christ had surrendered to the enemy in the Garden 
of Gethsemani, and the harrowing account given to them 
by St. John of the disgraceful death of Christ on the 



292 



The Resurrection of Jesus. 



cross, of His agony and desolation, and of His burial, 
had made so deep and painful an impression on their 
souls that they became impervious to any sentiment of 
comfort. In the third place, in their agitated condition 
of mind they supposed that little or no credit could be 
given to the words of credulous and excitable women, 
especially as Christ, if He were really risen from the 
dead, would doubtless have shown Himself immediately 
in the midst of the apostles, instead of giving the pref- 
erence to women. Finally, Our Lord permitted this un- 
certainty to exist in the minds of the apostles in order 
that by afterward allaying their doubts and confirming 
their faith in His resurrection, He would more indubit- 
ably prove to all mankind that He had really and truly 
risen from the dead. 

When the women " were departed, behold some of the 
guards came into the city, and told the chief priests all 
things that had been done. And they being assembled 
together with the ancients, taking counsel, gave a great 
sum of money to the soldiers, saying: Say you, His dis- 
ciples came by night, and stole Him away when we were 
asleep. And if the governor shall hear of this, we will 
persuade him, and secure you. So they, taking the 
money, did as they were taught: and this word was 
spread among them even to this day." (Matt, xxviii. 

It is thus that passion always renders men blind, stu- 
pid, and unscrupulous. Did not these chief priests and 
elders know that it was absurd to talk of sleeping wit- 
nesses, and that even the most credulous persons could 



The Resurrection of Jesus. 



293 



not believe such a paltry excuse on the part of drowsy 
sentinels? Did not these Jewish priests perceive that 
these very sentinels, when mocked by their companions, 
or questioned by their superior officers regarding this 
disgraceful neglect of duty, namely, of falling asleep on 
their posts, would, sooner or later, in order to save them- 
selves and their reputation, reveal the whole truth, and 
that thus the plotters would be unmasked and exposed to 
the ridicule of the whole world? Did they not see that 
this very Christ, of whose wonderful resurrection they 
had been so positively informed and assured by the sen- 
tinels, must be powerful enough to convict them of false- 
hood, by appearing before the whole world as the risen 
and immortal Messias? Puny and pitiable subterfuge! 

There cannot be the least doubt of the truth of the res- 
urrection of Christ, Nature proclaimed it in the midst 
of an earthquake; heaven declared it by the voice of the 
angels; heathen sentinels and the action of the Jew- 
ish priests testified to it: faith confirmed it in Peter and 
his companions; unbelieving doubt recognized it in 
Thomas; and, finally, the apostles and countless disci- 
ples substantiated it by their sufferings and death. 

Indeed, the Church has a clear and well-grounded 
right to sing on Easter Day: "This is the day which the 
Lord hath made : let us rejoice and be glad. Alleluia!" 
Even nature seems busy putting on her gayest attire to 
do honor to the resurrection of her Lord and Master. 
The sympathy shown by inanimate creation for the glad- 
ness of man and the glory of Christ on the morning of 
the resurrection is thus described : The sun, that had 



294 



The Resurrection of Jesus. 



been so gloomy and dull on Good Friday, arose in glo- 
rious brightness and cast a warmer and more genial glow 
upon the earth. The thin, light clouds floated grace- 
fully; the air was sweet and balmy. The little birds 
flitted with nimbler wing from tree to tree, and filled the 
air with sweeter melody. The wild animals of the forest, 
as well as the cattle in the field and farm-yard, leaped 
and frisked with new life and gladness. Grass and 
shrub, tree and vine, garden and field, whose verdant 
vesture seemed to have blanched in death, arrayed them- 
selves in cheerful garb of vivid hues, and burdened the 
bright, fresh morning air with fragrant incense. Brook 
and rivulet, torrent and river, so long locked up in icy 
bondage, had thrown away their fetters, and went bound- 
ing forth in noisy, prattling glee over the shining land- 
scape. The fishes in the sparkling waters seemed to 
wriggle with delight, and darted hither and thither in the 
very height of joyousness. In short, all the elements, 
heaven and earth, were full of life and beauty and glad- 
ness. Every created thing bounded, and sprang, and 
leapt aloft, and sang and laughed on this joyous and 
happy day of Easter. And it is to this universal glad- 
ness that the Church alludes, when she sings: "In Thy 
triumphant resurrection, O Lord, heaven and earth re- 
joice. Alleluia!" 

On this glorious festival every Christian should unite 
with the Church in her glorious triumph. Let us re- 
joice, and from the bottom of our hearts be thankful to 
that divine Saviour who has deprived death of its sting 
and victory, and stripped the grave of its terrors. Mind- 



The Resurrection of Jesus. 



295 



ful of the words of St. Paul : " If you be risen with 
Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is 
sitting at the right hand of God" (Coloss. iii. 1), let us 
forsake sin, die to ourselves, and pass through the world 
regardless of its sinful attractions. 

O my divine and adorable Lord, my sins were the 
cause of Thy bitter sufferings and death. But Thou 
hast triumphed over sin, death, and hell. Thy glorious 
resurrection proclaims Thy divinity and announces Thee 
to be truly the Son of God. Let me now also arise from 
the sepulchre of sin, and lead a new life of grace, purg- 
ing out the old leaven. 



CHAPTER XXXIII. 



JESUS APPEARS REPEATEDLY TO HIS DISCIPLES. 

EPOSE and quiet reigned in the streets of Jerusa- 



1 V lem. The dread cry of insatiate wrath against 
the Anointed of the Lord, which but three days before 
resounded through the city, was now hushed, and the 
disciples of Jesus timidly ventured to show themselves 
abroad. 

" And behold, two of them w r ent the same day to a town 
which was sixty furlongs from Jerusalem, named Em- 
maus. And they talked together of all these things 
which had happened. And it came to pass, that while 
they talked and reasoned with themselves, Jesus Him- 
self also drawing near went with them; but their eyes 
were held that they should not know Him. And He 
said to them : What are these discourses that you hold 
one with another as you walk, and are sad? And the 
one of them, whose name was Cleophas, answering, said 
to Him: Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast 
not known the things that have been done there in these 
days? To whom He said: What things? And they 
said: Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet, 
mighty in work and word before God and all the people : 




296 



Jesus Appears to His Disciples. 



297 



and how our chief priests and princes delivered Him to 
be condemned to death, and crucified Him ; but we hoped 
that it was He that should have redeemed Israel : and 
now besides all this to-day is the third day since these 
things were done. Yea, and certain women also of our 
company affrighted us, who before it was light were at 
the sepulchre; and not finding His body, came, saying 
that they had also seen a vision of angels, who say that 
He is alive. And some of our people went to the sepul- 
chre, and found it was so as the women had said, but 
Him they found not. Then He said to them : O fool- 
ish, and slow of heart to believe in all things which the 
prophets have spoken ! Ought not Christ to have suf- 
fered these things, and so enter into His glory? And 
beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded 
to them in all the Scriptures the things that were con- 
cerning Him. And they drew nigh to the town whither 
they were going : and He made as though He would go 
farther. But they constrained Him, saying: Stay with 
us, because it is toward evening and the day is now far 
spent. And He went in with them. And it came to 
pass, whilst He was at table with them, He took bread, 
and blessed, and brake, and gave to them. And their 
eyes were opened, and they knew Him, and He vanished 
out of their sight. And they said one to the other : Was 
not our heart burning within us, whilst He spoke in the 
way, and opened to us the Scriptures? And rising up 
the same hour, they went back to Jerusalem : and they 
found the eleven gathered together, and those that were 
with them, saying: The Lord is risen indeed, and hath 



298 Jesus Appears to His Disciples. 

appeared to Simon. And they told what things were 
done in the way : and how thev knew Him in the break- 
ing of the bread." (Luke xxiv. 13-35.) 

These two disciples obtained an extraordinary favor 
from Jesus in return for their humble attention to His 
teachings and for their friendly hospitality to a stranger. 
He condescended to sit at table with them, and, as the 
holy Fathers remark, to dispense to them that same di- 
vine sacrament which He had administered to the apos- 
tles at the Last Supper. It was by virtue of this token 
of His unbounded love that they recognized Him. It 
is chiefly in holy communion that we recognize Jesus, 
and learn to appreciate His love for man. In our worthy 
communions, too, Jesus recognizes us as His disciples, 
for those who eat His flesh and drink His blood abide in 
Him, and He in them. 

It appears from the above account of the Evangelist 
that the risen Christ had already appeared to Simon 
Peter, even before He manifested Himself to the dis- 
ciples going to Emmaus. An ancient legend thus de- 
scribes this apparition : When Mary Magdalen and the 
other devout women came back from the sepulchre, and 
told the apostles. "We have seen the Lord," Peter became 
sad and troubled, thinking to himself, and saying: "Al- 
though I was at the tomb as well as these women, the 
Lord did not deign to appear to me. Alas, He must be 
angry with me. because I denied Him so shamefully. 
Miserable, weak man that I am: what have I done! 
Overwhelmed with feelings of shame and remorse, he 
left the apostles, and went out of the city to a grotto to 



Jesus Appears to His Disciples. 



299 



which he had been accustomed to retire for prayer and 
meditation. Here, falling on his knees, he redoubled 
his self-reproaches, and shed tears in such abundance 
that they fell in streams to the ground. Suddenly his 
divine Master, in a glow of beauty and majesty, stood 
before the penitent apostle, and greeted him kindly, say- 
ing: "Be of good heart, My son. Thy sins are forgiven 
thee.' 5 He then presented to Peter the marks of His 
wounds to kiss, and bade him be comforted. 

On the morning of Easter Jesus appeared to the peni- 
tent Magdalen; about noon, to the penitent Peter: and 
in the evening He instituted the Sacrament of Penance, 
during the apparition described in the gospel as follows: 
" Now when it was late that same day, the first of the 
week, and the doors were shut, where the disciples were 
gathered together for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and 
stood in the midst, and said to them: Peace be to you. 
And when He said this, He showed them His hands, and 
His side. The disciples therefore were glad, when they 
saw the Lord. He said therefore to them again: Peace 
be to you. As the Father hath sent Me, I also send you. 
When He had said this He breathed on them, and He 
said to them: Receive ye the Holv Ghost: whose sins 
you shall forgive, they are forgiven them : and whose 
sins you shall retain, they are retained." (John xx. 19- 

2 3-) 

By virtue of these highly important and expressive 
words, Jesus solemnly and formally conferred upon the 
apostles and their successors the divine right of remit- 
ting sins. The Church has always firmly held and 



3oo 



Jesus Appears to His Disciples. 



plainly taught this divine commission, that is, the priestly 
plenitude of power to forgive sins, as may be proved from 
the writings of the Fathers. If we ask, why our blessed 
Saviour was pleased to employ human agents in the re- 
mission of sins, especially as it lay in His power to 
cleanse the repentant sinner from offences directly and by 
a purely spiritual and interior process, the Fathers of the 
Church give two reasons: namely, the wholesome humili- 
ation of the sinner, and his peace of mind. For from 
the fact of the sinner being required to approach with 
his burden of crime the apostles and their successors, to 
beg from them the remission of his sins, he must neces- 
sarily be much humbled. Now there is no other road to 
a reinstatement of grace, and to a restoration to our rights 
as children of God, but the road of self-abasement. 
Hence St. Augustine writes : " God exacts an acknowl- 
edgment of our sins, and delivers the confessing penitent 
from his sins because he humbles himself : on the con- 
trary, He rejects him who will not acknowledge his sins, 
for he is proud. 

Secondly. It contributes much to the tranquillity of 
the sinner, and to his certainty of pardon and reconcili- 
ation with God, if he receives the sentence of absolution 
from a man divinely endowed with plenitude of power, 
and whom he can see and hear. Certainly, the acknowl- 
edgment of all and every sin, which must necessarily 
precede the priestly absolution, must be a great humili- 
ation for the sinner; but he knows that Christ has so 
ordained, and ordained for his good, and this thought 
satisfies him. 



Jesus Appears to His Disciples. 



301 



Christ conferred upon the apostles the twofold power 
of loosing and binding. Who are those that may be 
loosed by them, and who those who are kept bound? 
This can be known to the priest only through the self- 
accusation, or confession, of the penitent. Hence it is 
clear that Christ the Lord desired and ordered this con- 
fession. St. Augustine gives a beautiful admonition on 
this point: " Let no man say to himself, nor to others: 'I 
do penance before God alone, for He knows and sees 
what penance I have in my heart.' For then the words 
of Christ would have been uttered in vain : ' Whatsoever 
you loose upon earth will be loosed in heaven.' In vain 
would the keys of the kingdom of heaven have been en- 
trusted to the keeping of the Church.* 7 

At the time when our blessed Lord conferred upon 
the apostles the fulness of power to forgive sins, one of 
them was absent. Hence it is the opinion of the holy 
Fathers that Jesus must afterward have bestowed it upon 
them singly and individually. This absent apostle was 
Thomas. " Now Thomas, one of the twelve, who is 
called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. 
The other disciples therefore said to him : We have seen 
the Lord. But he said to them : Except I shall see in 
His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into 
the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I 
will not believe. " (John xx. 24, 25.) This was cer- 
tainly very exacting on the part of Thomas ; but it was 
permitted, that through him the doubters in all ages 
might be convinced. For: "After eight days, again His 
disciples were within, and Thomas with them. Jesus 



302 



Jesus Appears to His Diseiples. 



cometh, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and 
said: Peace be to you. Then He saith to Thomas: Put 
in thy finger hither, and see My hands, and bring hither 
thy hand, and put it into My side : and be not faithless, 
but believing. Thomas answered and said to Him: My 
Lord and my God ! Jesus saith to him : Because thou 
hast seen Me, Thomas, thou hast believed. Blessed are 
they that have not seen, and have believed." (John xx. 
26-29.) 

Christ hesitates not, on this occasion, to permit His 
apostle to touch His person, thereby to afford him the 
evidence he so peremptorily required. The gospel does 
not inform us whether Thomas made use or not of the 
privilege which Jesus so graciously allowed him. But 
whether he did or not, his doubts were immediately dis- 
pelled : and suddenly moved by the impulse of grace, he 
exclaimed: "My Lord and my God!" However perfect 
the faith of the apostle now was. it had one defect, be- 
cause it depended too much on the evidence of the 
senses. For which reason Our Lord gently reproves 
Thomas, saying: "Blessed are they that have not seen, 
and have believed." This is the faith that should ani- 
mate us. From the doubting apostle's incredulity Christ 
mercifully drew the strongest evidence of His resurrec- 
tion for the confirmation of our faith beyond all cavil or 
contradiction. Hence St. Gregory the Great says : " By 
this doubting of Thomas we are more confirmed in our 
belief than by the faith of the other apostles." 

" After this Jesus showed Himself again to the dis- 
ciples at the sea of Tiberias. And He showed Himself 



Jesus Appears to His Diseiples. 303 

after this manner: There were together Simon Peter and 
Thomas who is called Didymus, and Nathanael who was 
of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two 
other of His disciples. Simon Peter saith to them : I go 
a-fishing. They say to him : We also will come with 
thee. And they went forth and entered into the ship : 
and that night they caught nothing. But when the morn- 
ing was come, Jesus stood on the shore : yet the disciples 
knew not that it was Jesus. Jesus therefore said to 
them: Children, have you any meat? They answered 
Him : No. He saith to them : Cast the net on the right 
hand of the ship, and you shall find. They cast there- 
fore : and now they were not able to draw it for the mul- 
titude of fishes. That disciple therefore whom Jesus 
loved said to Peter: It is the Lord. Simon Peter, when 
he heard that it was the Lord, girt his coat about him 
(for he was naked) and cast himself into the sea. But 
the other disciples came in the ship (for they were not 
far from the land, but as it were two hundred cubits), 
dragging the net with fishes. As soon, then, as they came 
to land, they saw hot coals lying, and a fish laid thereon, 
and bread. Jesus said to them : Bring hither of the 
fishes which you have now 7 caught. Simon Peter went 
up, and drew the net to the land, full of great fishes, one 
hundred and fifty-three. And although there were so 
many, the net was not broken. Jesus saith to them : 
Come and dine. And none of them who were at meat 
durst ask Him: Who art Thou? knowing that it was the 
Lord. And Jesus cometh and taketh bread and gives 
them, and fish in like manner. This is now the third 



304 



Jesus Appears to His Disciples. 



time that Jesus was manifested to His disciples after He 
was risen from the dead.'' (John xxi. 1-14). 

This apparition of Christ is specially important, for it 
was on this occasion that the primacy of St. Peter, or his 
office as visible head of the Church, was formally estab- 
lished. 

" When therefore they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon 
Peter: Simon, son of John, lovest thou Me more than 
these? He saith to Him: Yea, Lord, Thou knowest that 
I love Thee. He saith to him : Feed My lambs. He 
saith to him again: Simon, son of John, lovest thou Me? 
He saith to Him: Yea, Lord, Thou knowest that I love 
Thee. He saith to him : Feed My lambs. He said to 
him the third time: Simon, son of John, lovest thou Me? 
Peter was grieved, because he had said to him the third 
time, Lovest thou Me? And he said to Him: Lord, 
Thou knowest all things : Thou knowest that I love 
Thee. He said to him: Feed My sheep." (John xxi. 

Why does our blessed Redeemer exact from St. Peter 
this thrice-repeated and solemn avowal of his love for 
his Master? He is about to entrust to Peter's care His 
flock, both lambs and sheep, laity and clergy. To feed, 
in the language of Holy Scripture, is to guide, rule, and 
govern, as St. Ambrose observes; and to feed the lambs 
and the sheep of Christ is undoubtedly to have the su- 
preme spiritual power of governing and directing the 
whole flock of Christ in all matters belonging to faith 
and morals. Three times had St. Peter denied his Lord: 
the triple denial is now atoned for by a thrice-repeated 



Jesus Appeal's to His Disciples. 305 

act of love, a threefold avowal of future fidelity. At the 
same time Jesus tells him to feed His flock in three dif- 
ferent ways : namely as teacher of truth, as high-priest of 
grace and mercy, and as king, through precept and wise 
regulations. 

The gospels mention but two appearances of Our Sav- 
iour in Galilee after His resurrection. Of the first, which 
took place on the shore of the sea of Galilee, or Tibe- 
rias, we have just heard. The second is described by St. 
Matthew (xxviii. 16, 17) as follows: "The eleven dis- 
ciples went into Galilee, unto the mountain where Jesus 
had appointed them. And seeing Him they adored: but 
some doubted." According to the statement made by 
St. Paul (1 Cor. xv. 6), "He was seen by more than five 
hundred brethren at once : of whom many remain until 
the present, and some are asleep." Those that doubted, 
as the evangelist mentions, were among these five hun- 
dred. 

St. John concludes his gospel with the words: "There 
are many other things which Jesus did : which if they 
were written every one, the world itself, I think, w r ould 
not be able to contain the books that should be written." 
(John xxi. 25.) Here we have an argument in favor of 
tradition : a plain assertion that the Scriptures cannot be 
the sole rule of faith. Hence, while we know that all 
Catholic teaching is founded on the word of God, yet we 
ought not to expect to find everything in the Bible. 

O my God! I firmly believe whatever Thy holy Church 
teaches. I know for certain that Thou hast revealed it, 
because the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic^ Church 



306 Jesus Appears to His Disciples. 

was instituted by Thy divine Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, 
for the purpose of teaching it to me, and therefore, 
guided by the infallible successor of St. Peter, the prince 
of the apostles and visible head of the Church, cannot 
err in matters of faith and morals. I beseech Thee 
through the precious blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ, and 
through the merits of the apostles, to confirm me and all 
men in this faith, for which I profess to be ready, with 
Thy grace, to shed my blood. 



CHAPTER XXXIV. 



THE ASCENSION OF JESUS, AND THE DESCENT OF THE 

HOLY GHOST. 



FTER His resurrection, our blessed Lord remained 



ii forty days here on earth, appearing, as we have 
seen, sometimes to all apostles, and sometimes only to 
some, that He might thereby fully convince them of His 
being risen, and to accustom them by degrees to miss 
His corporal presence. During that time He instructed 
them in the nature and the use of those spiritual powers 
which He had imparted to them for the good of mankind. 
What these instructions were in particular, the evange- 
lists do not mention. St. Luke (xxiv. 45) says in gen- 
eral, that He " opened their understanding, that they 
might understand the Scriptures;" St. Matthew (xxviii. 
18) and St. Mark (xvi. 15) finish their evangelical his- 
tory with the divine command to the apostles : " Going, 
therefore, teach ye all nations: baptizing them in the 
name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy 
Ghost, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I 
have commanded you. And behold I am with you all 
days, even to the consummation of the world. He that 




307 



3°8 



The Ascension of Jesus. 



believeth and is baptized shall be saved: but he that 
believeth not shall be condemned.'' 

Jesus Christ had now finished the work for which He 
came down from heaven and dwelt amongst us. He had 
enlightened the world by His doctrine, and redeemed it 
by His death: He had confirmed the truth of His re- 
vealed religion: He had established His Church, which 
He commands all to hear: He had promised to assist 
His Church with the Spirit of truth to the end of ages; 
He had appointed St. Peter and his successors as the 
universal pastor to preside over the Church, to feed the 
lambs and the sheep of His fiock in His name: nothing 
more remained but to take possession of that seat of 
bliss which He had merited for His own sacred human- 
ity, and for us. 

Therefore, on the fortieth day after His resurrection, 
He assembled His apostles. " And He led them out as 
far as Bethania, and lifting up His hands, He blessed 
them. And it came to pass, whilst He blessed them, He 
departed from them, and was carried up to heaven." 
( John xxiv. 50, 51.) The ascension of Christ took place 
from Mount Olivet. This mountain having been the 
scene of His agony and humiliation, was chosen by Him 
to be the scene of His final glorification. u And when 
He had said these things, while they looked on, He was 
raised up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. 
And while they were beholding Him going up to heaven, 
behold two men stood by them in white garments, who 
also said: Ye men of Galilee, why stand you looking up 
to heaven? This Jesus who is taken up from you into 



The Ascension of Jesus, 309 

heaven shall so come as you have seen Him going into 
heaven. Then they returned to Jerusalem from the 
mount that is called Olivet, which is nigh Jerusalem 
within a Sabbath day's journey. " (Acts i. 9— 11.) 

Jesus ascended as man, both body and soul: for as 
God He was never absent from heaven, His divinity be- 
ing always everywhere present at the same time, and fill- 
ing all places with its immensity. He ascended by His 
own almighty power, and not by the help of another. He 
ascended in a bright cloud, accompanied by the souls of 
the holy patriarchs, prophets, and saints of the Old Tes- 
tament, whom He released from their captivity and led in 
triumph to heaven. " Oh, with what rapturous joy," ex- 
claims St. Jerome, "did all the angelic powers come forth 
to meet and welcome the Son of God on the day of His 
glorious entry into heaven V' The angels were surprised, 
the archangels were astonished, to behold our human na- 
ture exalted thus by Him: the cherubim and seraphim 
were in ecstasies to see their King, after gaining a com- 
plete victory over sin, death, and hell, taking possession 
of the realms of everlasting bliss in an immortal and 
glorified body that outshone the brightness of a thousand 
suns. 

Blessed Mother Mary, we congratulate thee on thy 
Son's triumph! Holy angels, we sympathize with you in 
your welcome to your King! But first, and above all, we 
greet Thee, Jesus, our God, our Lord, our Saviour, and 
our All! Behold, we have tried to follow Thee faith- 
fully in prayer, study, and meditation, through Thy life, 
sufferings, and death, to Thy present hour of triumph. 



The Ascension of Jesus. 



Grant that we may one day follow Thee in reality to the 
kingdom of heaven ! 

Before His ascension, our blessed Lord had command- 
ed the apostles not to leave Jerusalem until they should 
have received the Holy Ghost, whom He promised to 
send them. " He commanded them that they should not 
depart from Jerusalem, but should wait for the promise 
of the Father, which you have heard (saith He) by My 
mouth. " (Acts i. 4.) In obedience to that order, they 
returned from Mount Olivet to Jerusalem, where they re- 
tired, it is believed, into the room of the Last Supper, 
and persevered unanimously in prayer with the women, 
and Mary, the Mother of Jesus. During that interval St. 
Peter began to exercise his apostolical supremacy: he 
informed his brethren that, according to the Holy Scrip- 
tures, they must fill the place of Judas Iscariot, who, by 
his treacherous prevarication, had fallen from the apos- 
tleship, and must therefore choose some one of them who 
had followed Jesus from the time of His baptism to the 
day of His ascension, and had been witness of His resur- 
rection. Two were nominated in preference to all others, 
Matthias and Joseph surnamed the Just. To determine 
who was to be chosen, they had recourse to lots, devoutly 
praying to God that He would be pleased to manifest 
His will to them. The lot fell upon Matthias, and he was 
consequently associated with the other eleven apostles. 

"And when the days of the Pentecost were accom- 
plished, they were all together in one place. And sud- 
denly there came a sound from heaven, as of a mighty 
wind coming, and it filled the whole house where they 



The Descent of the Holy Ghost. 



were sitting. And there appeared to them parted tongues 
as it were of fire, and it sat upon every one of them. 
And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they 
began to speak with divers tongues, according as the 
Holy Ghost gave them to speak. Now there were dwell- 
ing at Jerusalem Jews, devout men out of every nation 
under heaven. And when this was noised abroad, the 
multitude came together, and were confounded in mind, 
because that every man heard them speak in his own 
tongue. And they were all amazed, and wondered, say- 
ing : Behold, are not all these that speak Galileans, and 
how have we heard every man our own tongue wherein 
we were born? Parthians and Medes, and Elamites, 
and inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Judea, and Cappadocia, 
Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the 
parts of Lybia about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, 
Jews also and proselytes, Cretes and Arabians : we have 
heard them speak in our own tongues the wonderful works 
of God. And they were all astonished, and wondered, 
saying one to another: What meaneth this? But others 
mocking said : These men are full of new wine. But 
Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, 
and spoke to them : Ye men of Judea, and all you that 
dwell in Jerusalem, be this known to you and with your 
ears receive my words. For these are not drunk, as you 
suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day : but 
this is that which was spoken of by the prophet Joel : 
And it shall come to pass, in the last days (saith the 
Lord) I will pour out My Spirit upon all flesh : and your 
sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young 



312 



The Descent of the Holy Ghost, 



men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream 
dreams. And upon My servants indeed, and upon My 
handmaids will I pour out in those days of My Spirit, 
and they shall prophesy: and I will show wonders in the 
heaven above, and signs on the earth beneath, blood and 
fire, and vapor of smoke. The sun shall be turned into 
darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and 
manifest day of the Lord come. And it shall come to 
pass, that whosoever shall call upon the name of the 
Lord shall be saved. Ye men of Israel, hear these 
words : Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among 
you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did 
by Him in the midst of you, as you also know: this 
same being delivered up, by the determinate counsel and 
foreknowledge of God, you by the hands of wicked men 
have crucified and slain. . . . This Jesus hath God 
raised again, whereof all we are witnesses. Being ex- 
alted therefore by the right hand of God, and having 
received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, 
He hath poured forth this which you see and hear." 
(Acts ii. 1-33.) 

On that day of Pentecost Christ planted His Church 
as an everlasting monument of His victory. To the 
latest posterity this monument shall stand, and defy 
every effort that either man or devils can make against it. 
The Spirit of truth shall abide with the Church, and 
teach her all truth to the end of the world. Thus Christ 
fulfils His farewell promise to His apostles : " Behold, I 
am with you all days, even to the consummation of the 
world." (Matt, xxviii. 20.) 



The Descent of the Holy Ghost. 



3i3 



Christ continues to live in His Church, as the Re- 
deemer and High-Priest, in the holy sacrifice of the 
Mass, in the sacraments, and other means of grace. 

Christ lives in His Church as a Teacher of truth and 
heavenly wisdom, by guiding her councils through the 
Holy Ghost, and by saving the Popes, as heads of the 
Church, from error in their definitions of faith and 
morals. 

Christ lives in His Church as King, by clothing His 
representatives, the priests, according to their various 
ranks, with divine authority, and by maintaining through 
their instrumentality God's kingdom on earth in disci- 
pline, peace, and tranquillity. 

Christ lives in His Church by leading individuals to 
extraordinary holiness, and creating, in the monastic life 
and other religious associations, schools of the highest 
virtue and perfection for those whom He calls to the ob- 
servance of the evangelical counsels. 

Christ lives in His Church despised and crucified, in- 
asmuch as His doctrines have been misrepresented, de- 
nied, and rejected by misguided men in all ages, as in 
His own lifetime: and inasmuch as His faithful follow- 
ers individually, and His holy Church in general, have 
been, in private and in public, violently attacked and 
persecuted, wronged and misrepresented by declared ene- 
mies and treacherous friends. 

Christ lives in His Church as the glorious Conqueror. 
For the Church, even in the midst of her greatest trials 
and under severest oppression, has won victory after vic- 
tory, triumph after triumph, " And the rain fell, and the 



3 H The Descent of the Holy Ghost. 

floods came, and the winds blew, and they beat upon that 
house, and it fell not, for it was founded on a rock." 
(Matt. vii. 25.) 

" Now to the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only 
God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen" (1 
Tim. i. 17.) 



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9 



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